MR. A. W. HOGG, M.H.R. ON THE TEA DUTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5123, 3 September 1895, Page 2

MR. A. W. HOGG, M.H.R. ON THE TEA DUTY.

In the course of Mr A. W. Hogg's speech on the Financial Statement he said :

" The main branches of our Customs revenue are such articles as tea, sugar, wines and spirits. The question is, js it desirable tq weaken some of those branches ? I niaju(:ain that if; js nqt. Tea, for insf itnce, produces a very large revenue, and under the present tariff, a reduction isproposed. Thoieduction,although apparently so small that it will not in any way benefit the consumer, will injure the revenue very materially. My own impression is—although there might be a little dissatisfaction for the tiine being produced—instead of a reduction it would have been much better if we had bad an increase on tea. If the duty on tea had been increased—instead of being reduced from fjd, to sd. per pqund from (id. to Is per pound, even the labouring-classes would hardly have been affected, but the revenue would have beep very largely improved, and there would have boon a much larger amount available for public works, The effect of an increase of this character would have been this.: that only the liner qualities of tea would have been imported.

An Hon. Member.—What would the working-ulnssos deitik ?

Mr Hogg.—They would have a hotter article, They might have to pay b'd, a pound more for it, but they would have a superior article, which would go much further; and if they used less tea in quantity and more hot water it'would do thorn no harm. Then, with regard to'those who'can afford the luxurj' of strong tea, they would have to contribute more largely'to 'the revenue than they are contributing at tiio present time. Then, Sir, Jdp )$ t agi;eee for one lnomeut svith the prppqsal tq ljaye a differential tariff—that is, to make the duty on tea jn bulk ijd., arjd in paokets 60, These are the things that bring protection into disrepute, that render protection a laughingstock— becauso the labour expended in making up boxes or paokets of tea is neither hero nor there, it is infinitesimal ; and. the people who will suffer are the poor peoplo, who generally get their tea by tho pound, That concession, on the face of it, has been made to a few tea-distribu-tors in this country, and a few large tea'merchants, 1 'lt is* benefit conferred on them-'at whose expense ? At' tho expense" of the' consuming community, A l ' differential duty of tli'ify kind 6houJd' never 1 have I ''been entjrtaiiied,-" "' '"•' ; "- u '. . B