THE TARIFF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxix, Issue 7241, 29 July 1907, Page 3

THE TARIFF.

DEPUTATIONS TO THE MINISTER

I WELLINGTON, July 29. ' In reply to a deputation of tradesmen which asked thab the duty be retailed on motor cars, the Minister of Customs said that it had been already intimated by the Premier that, while ilie (.'ha „e----car would be admitted duty free, the ordinary car would pay duty as before. The whole matter was to be discussed by Vhe Cabinet at an early date. I Later in the day a deputation, head- | ed by the Hon. T. W. Hislop, 7»l.iyor of Wellington, intimated that a Now Zealand Automobile Association had been founded that clay, and that it approved of its policy of fostering native industries and was prepared to support the imposition of a duty on the. bodies of cars to the extent of 12| per* cent. What they were most anxious about was tyres, of which the bulk came from Europe. The view as to the bodies of cars was combatted by Mr Scott, an importer, who contended that bodies for motor cars would still have to be imported and that English makers would not allow full rebates for bodies when supplying only chasses and engines. The Minister's reply indicated that the coach builders' request for duty would be acceded to, and that he considered the point as to tyres not worth troubling over, seeing that special concessions were made to colonial customers by continental makers. He considered 12^ per cent, duty on bodies insufficient; it should be 20 per cent., to make it uniform with the duties charged on the bodies of other vehicles. , A deputation to the Minister of Customs, representing importers of typewriters, protested against a proposal to put a preferential duty of 10 per cent', on all typewriters manufactured outside of the British Empire. They assented that no standard machines were made in England and that the preferential tariff would simply mean an increased cost to tlie public who used them. The Minister replied that he did not see why the Government should assist to feed tiho American market, and it seem to him that if British capital was invested in some of these concerns, the 1 capitalists should take stops to have the machines made in England. Besides, he knew from invoices he had seen that, various American manufacturers made up for preferential tariff handicaps by giving wholesale purchasers " a preferential bonification," to counteract- the advantage given to British traders. However, he would lay the deputation s request before the Cabinet.