THE TARIFF.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 171, 19 July 1907, Page 2

THE TARIFF.

OBJECTIONS FROM THE SOUTH.

((By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

DCNEDLN, Thursday.

At a meeting of the representatives of electrical engineering lirins in Dunedin ! 10-day, it was decided to send the follow- I ing telegram to the House of Represen- I tatives:—"'The proposed increase in I duties upon electrical machinery and ap- I plianees will have a most injurious effect on our business. There are no electrical manufacturing interests in New Zealand to support. The new duties will increase the price upon imports to such an extent as to retard business, and the revenue itself will suffer eventually. 1 rusting you will see your way to support a reduction." A petition carrying the signatures of 16 Dunedin importers is to be forwarded to the Commissioner of Customs. The petitioners state that they are expressing the opinions and. desires of the rest of the boot and shoe importers of New Zealand, who number over 1000. As importers, they wished to enter a strong l protest to any interference with the existing tariff on boots and shoes, unless It was in the direction of a reduction j of the present duty. Although import- I ers, they were thoroughly in sympathy I I with the policy which granted a fair j i measure of protection and assistance to 1 all bima-fide local industries, ar.d whilst | conceding this it must be remembered i that the object of the tariff was first I revenue and secondly protection, and competent and fair-minded persons must agree that the present tariff filled these two conditions as happily as any measure possibly could, in view of the diffiI cult and divergent interests of the trade, i and the best proof of this was to be I found in the experience of many years past. j A MISAPPREHENSION. i It was stated by Mr Aitken (Weliingj ton) to-day that certain importers had i been informed by the Customs authorities I that a duty of a halfpenny per gallon would be levied upon their next shipment of kerosene, in consequence of changes in the tariff. The Premier replied that no duty on kerosene appeared in the tariff, but apparently a reference to petroleum was taken by some people to apply to kerosene, which was not the case. The Hon. J. A. Millar, Commissioner for Customs, also assured the member for Wellington East that no duty was intended to be placed on kerosene. The duty was upon heavier oils, not the light burning oils, and any officer charging a duty ion kerosene did not know what he was j doing. A few hours later, the Minister, who had made inquiries into the matter, I reported that none of the Wellington I officers had made the statement referred to by Mr Aitken.

PRICE OF POTATOES.

j BISE IN VALUE EXPECTED. I DUNEDIN, this day. Mr Moritzson, a large grain merchant, says that the altering of the potato duty from 20 per cent to twenty shillings per ton puts potatoes up in price to the extent of twelve shillings per ton, and a corresponding rise in values maybe expected in a few days. He suggests I two per cent up to an invoice price of I £5. When that figure is reached, the duty to remain at £1 per ton. This would protect the grower when prices were low, and would protect the consumer when prices were high.