Comparative Statement

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 306, 30 April 1874, Page 2

Comparative Statement

Note. — Fractions are omitted. For a short time duties were leried under both tariffs, so that the companion, (though to a trifling extent) is thereby affected. Allowance* must also be made for the comparatively earclcss rnluutiomfor invoices under the old tariff.

Thus on a total import of £485,000, tile now duties gave* £51,135, against £35,906 that would have been received-" under the old tariff; or an increase of £15,5290n the- imports of Dunedin alone. Dividing these articles under threoheads, namely, — Ist, goods consumed by all classes ; 2nd, good* consumed by the welf-to-do people ; and third, luxuries used By the rich, — the centesimal rate of increased taxation' under the first Lead averaged over all articles is a trifle under 39 per cent. ; under tho second' head, umlcr 60 per cent. ,- and under the third head, more than 60 percent. 'Jh»' first bend includes such goods as apparel, slops, boots and) shoes, cottons, drapery, ironmongery, matches, oilmen's stores, woollens, basLetware, eurthenware, &c. Tbe •eoond' head, includes bags and Backs, brushware, carpoting, cutlprj-, linens, oilcloths, paperhangings, saddlery and harness, stationery, &c. The third head comprises fancy goods, chinaware r confectionery, bottled fruits, jewellery, musical i instruments, paintings, perfumen, platedwnre, ei.ks, &,g. Thus it will bo seen that the increase of taxation fulls more heavily on those better aBle to afford it ; and so tho incidence or burden of taxation is more equalised by the change in the tariff, even averaged over a large number of articles. But on examining these articles separately, this will be more apparent. For instance, in the case of boots and' shoes, ira import of £11,7 15, which under the old tariff would only have paid £2365, pays now £5471 ; but at the old rate was 5s «»d 3s per cubic foot, whereas it is now ad valorem, it isobvious that the proportion of the £2565 which was paid by the wealthier classes in their consumption of the higherpriced boots and" shoes was less than the proportion of the £5474 which they now pay on the valuation of these higherpriced Articles. Again, in drapery, where an import of £206,005, which under the old tariff would onljfbare paid/ £18,654 duty, now pays £21,675, it is equally obiious that as the old rate was 5s per cubic foot; the proportion of tie £21,675 paid by the wealthier classes on the high-priced kinds of ioft goods is more than the proportion which they paid on the same kind's out of £18,614 that wouldTiave beeiv. levied under the old rate. So that the new incidence of taxation is not to be measured by- the rate of increase average over either whole classes of goods, or over any separata class, but by the difference which really exists between tho< kinds of goods included under each class. At first, no doubb, this equalisation does not occur, because importers and'retail dealers have not yet found out how to chargt tbe inrr creased duties, and it is well known- that profits ase censer qucntly not yet assimilated - r bub in tho long runy as th« consumer is quite certain to hare to pay, the importers and retailers are equally certain to distribute tbe increas* by charging it on the articles best able to bear it, and so in the end the wealthier classes are sure to bear » heavier propoition of that increase. A good instance of this may be seen in earthenware, where the new duty is more than three times : the old cheap cups and saucers will not bear the i increase, and so it must be placed on tbe kinds not used by the working classes. The same thing will occur with cutlery,, where tho now duty is more than aix times what it wai, with brushware, with stationery, and so forth. This table, though only analysed for the import of Dunedin, gives approximately safe means of estimating tbe losults of the new tariff all over the colony ; for, that port being the greatest contributor to the Customs revenue, it i» highly improbable that averages taken from the duties col* lected there will be materially different ironi any taken, from revenue collected at other places.

Articles of Import — July 1 to December 31, ! i i d "a o 3 ft o m "8 ft -3 ■2 so ft 1573. I Apparel and slopi Boots and shoes Cottons Drapery Furniture Hardware and ironmongery Hats and caps Matches and vestas Oilmen's storo3 Starch and blue Twine Woollens Buckets and tubs ... Baskotwaro Blacking and lead Earthenware „. ... Glassware ... Bags and sacks Brushwaro ... ... ».. Carpeting Carriages and carts Cutlery Drugs Lamps and lantorns Linena Mats and rug* Nails ... ... ... Potted meats ... „, Oil cloths Paper hangings Saddlery ... Stationery Woodware ♦.„ ... Zinc Fancj biscuits China and Faiian .« Confectionery Bottled fruits Jewellery Musical instruments Paintings and engravings ... Perfumery ... Platedware Silks Tojs Watches and clocks : £ ! 11,069 ', 41,748. ! 877 206,008 8,875 38,533 13,161 9,669' 10,876 758 1,574 j 8.856 ! 11l 416 1 435 7,541 1 3,133 ! 23,128 ! 2,443 11,568 1,862 2,192 ' 9,827" 1,813 4*l : i,O4S I 9,793 110 2,877" 3,088 7,217 7,196 2,206 582 34 i 2,287 | 2,481 j 956 I 8,598 , 6,973 696 ! 1,270 j 2,016 662 i 5,210 I 2,764 £ 1,187 5,474 104 21,675 780 3,707 1,636 719 1,411 73 153 1,114 11 48 55 7i>9 445 2,397 225 1,106* 185 199 1,157 157 52 105 795 12 248 243 645 703 123 51 24 240 595 178 859 066 49 119 174 66 540. 276 £ 595 2,56565> 18,054 459 1,705. 1,178 311 1,234 36> 24. 99310 31 33 233109 1,917" 642 9a 2^ 1,082 105' 2i> 77 275 14 130 230 291" 207" Nil 14 3 134 554 91 570289 14 100 40 8 318 276; | 404,908 51,435 35,906

Showing tho antics levied under the new tariff at the port of Dunedin for the six months ending December 31, 1873, on the undermentioned articles, as compared with the duty that would have been paid under the old tanb calculated upon the actual revenue paid on the same article! for the six months ending June 30 :