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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5133, 18 September 1895, Page 2

One of the marked features of the new tariff is that Mr Ward has surrendered the duty on binder twine, a tie which was specially near and dear to him. His followers must be getting wollisli or ho would never have thrown this item overboard. Another is striking threepence per lb duty oil'tea, at an estimated loss to the revenue of £51,0,00. This is the piece de mislmtm and a tariff which cheapens the poor man's tea, must he popular, even though Mr Ward, if he had been allowed his own way, would have choked his followers with a dear cup. But toeompensale for this " high tea " the Colonial Treasure)' taxes fresh fruit, and sticks a heavier impost on to clothing, Boots and' shoes are to go up like mushrooms under the new tariff. Cheap boots will soon be a , thing of the past and those who cannot afford to buy dear ones will, have to go barefoot, Working men even ijpw say that they cannot afford boots for their cliildreu to go to school in, but this complaint jvi|) be much more general in the future. There t are a few decided novelties in the tariff that will be felt even in lias- ' terton. Linseed oil goes up so high thatpaintfninyill go down and.be replaced''by the whitewash brush, jffa, too, is selected t'orflio new Wiem and under proposed tariff 11... -inn a, inxnrv of tho rich,

will bccoi.. --tit (jjypj.' fa Jmyc The tariff ou fi . '-««',il were] been touched at all, unito- ' -VJ

i altered on some definite statesmanlike lines. Tlio proposed changes are so put, that thoydo not satisfy either freetraders or protectionists, ! and while they vex the dealer, will irritate and annoy the consumer. We could have drafted ourselves, in Hve minutes, a better and more intelligent tariff than the one- which is now presented, No principle is embodied in it; indeed it is the most extraordinary jumble that was evor perpetrated. It is a pity that tho House does not make the Government take the whole thing back and keep it back. By this means, Parlia. ment would savo its reputation for dignity and consistency. The new tariff is really a panic tariff. Ministers got periodically into panics and attempt to pass panic legislation. Under stress of panic, Ministers aro sometimes more anxious than the Opposition, to mutilate their own Bills. The nerve of tho Ministry appears to have gone completely. A j harried Ministry scolds its supporters one day and licks their feet the next,

Thosk who attended the UAiMVAY International Railway results. Congress have corae ( away with a great deal if useful information. Mr Eddy, he Chief. Commissioner of Railways or New South Wales, who was iresent at the Congress has heeu lighly impressed with the use of ilectricity for tramway purposes, ind his recommendations to the jovernment will be in the direction if applying electricity to the whole if the tramway service in Sydney, [f Mr Eddy is successful in this natter, the rest of the colonies are :ertain to take up tho scheme. Amongst the many details brought nit in the " Reports" on various subjects presented at the International Railway Congress, those relating to Iho transport and handling of incrjhandiso ate almost appalling in their vastness. At the Sowers Town Depot, London, 180 railway trucks can be brought atonetime to the sidings, and 100 street vans backed alongside to load and unload. From Liverpool every night 1,000 goods waggons leave by the Lancashire and and Yorkshire Railway. The Shildon sidings of the North-Eastern deal with 2,000 waggons every 24 hours. At Tyncsido Docks 1,000 tons of coal can be put on board a ship in two hours. For signalling purposes the London and NorthWestern Railway has nearly 19,000 miles of wire laid, and nearly 117,000 primary batteries at work controlled by 34,000 interlocking levers.