THE "ARGUS" ON THE TARIFF.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11098, 17 October 1901, Page 5

THE "ARGUS" ON THE TARIFF.

The Melbourne "Argus," in dealing with the tariff, remarked that "it wiH Absolutely please no party," &ndi went on to says— "The Victorian High TariffisUt Who lodged with tihe treasurer a scheme for 'scientific' protection running up to 46 per wnt. Ed valorem duties, are left to deplore thte vanishing of their dream, This party fought a desperate battle for sealing our high Victorian duties up sfciH higher, but vrheorever the Victorian duties are touched they are reduced. High Tarifttsm in the sense in which we have used, tibe phrase htere has. disappeared from the scene. On the other bmd, far too many absolutely protective tJutdes are left to be applied to those parts of Australia which have hitherto been free from these burdens. The total revenue to be raised is enormous, namely, £9,000,000, and' contains the element of extravagance, l'raetically thete is no relief whatever given to t&ia iproducfrs, although they from today lcee All the ditties -which, they were told were their share of the bargain, The free list shrinks to the smallest possible dimensions. Some of the revenue taxes, such as those on spirit*, axe S6 higlx l as to be Very likely to defeat their object." The " Argue* continues as "follows: — "Aehort statement made by t!he Minister of Customs is of interest as giving a. bird'eeye view of the proposals, tie gives the. totals of tlio fiscal schema as follows: — . Revenue. Alcohol and narcotics ... £4,100,000 Fixed and ad v&lorexn duties levied on goods valued a 6 £6,630,000 ... £2,020,000 10 per cent, ad valorem ... • £104,000 15 per cent, ad valorem ... £496,000 20 pea , cent, ad valorem ... £1,188,000 25 per oettt. ad valorem ... ' £574,000 Oe a total of £2,362,000 revenue from ad valorem duties, levied upon a total value of £12,583,000. His free list amounts to £6,000,000, a euna far too small to do justice to the situation. But Mr Kingston declares that he looks upon a free lisfc as opening the door to robbery." "The claim was confidently made by Mr Kingston that the tariff is a compromise tariff. No dSoubb it reduces the Victorian standard. The Victorian ad valorem rates are 15. 25, and 35 per cent., as against New South Wales nil. A 17£ per cent, could have been defended \&» a fair half-. way house, but the 25 per cent, rate leans undiulv to High Taxriffieni. The Australian Parliament has to think not of Victoria but. of Australia, and 25 per cent, will allow vested interests to spring up where they are not, now in existence, and the vested inteeeate Seated by, protection constantly clamour for more. .. . - .Of course, with interstate duties abolished, and with the new Federal expenditure to be provided for, it was impossible to avoid extending the list of articles of foreign imports- to. be taxed. All Han produce goes'.on the free list; other articles hitherto untaxed must take their place. l No exception, therefore, can be taken to the charges on calico, on linen, and on similar items. We have to. set off free meat against taxed drem material. But as revenue is wanted, the greater th'e necessity of placing tb> ijbw tariff on revenue lines as far as possible*, aJfd a little study shows how . greatly this task &a& been neglected. • .. "Tfarotighoffc his address it is to be noted Sir Kingston snake as if the , sole end of Australian. ambition is fb establish artificial trades-—to look to nonprofitable industries as the real employers of labour. The idea.of developing otir natural WKtfurcee never seems to occar "to him. Wool-growing, wheat-growing, but-ter-making are 'established trades,' and should be taxed, he apparently considers, to support thi other*. TineVe are baits for the azriculturkt, of coiurse. There is a, list of such duties as bacon 3d per lb, butter 3d per lb; eggs, 6d per dozen; grain, Is 6d 'per cental,, and .so on; but these duties are mere shams, while duties of 3s in the £1 on agricultural, horticultural and vfticultural machinery are real. Very actual and oppressive also i« the long list of engines, boilers, pumps, etc., on which 25 per cent, is demanded; and reaper' and binder twine at 8s per cent. -is equally objectionable. Such ofittrges have long been, imposed in Victoria. It wae to be supposed that some concession would be made to Ihe country worker at last, but it is not .so; and the natural industries in New Sduth- Wales, Queensland. Tasmania, and, South Australia, are also to be subjected to the charges. This utter lack ofeympathy with -ike producer is one of the most grievous of the blots on the Budget. . - .« A new departure, it is to be noted, -. ia taken in ' creating compound duties I tiiat is to say, the same articles are made liable to a nied ant) a. specific duty. Thvs felt hate are charged 10s per dozen and 15 jpef cent. The child's Shilling hat pays 10d specifics duty and 15 per cent. also. The plan is taken from America, where it is energetically condemned by tariff reformers as partakingvin common with other hybrids—of the vices of the two parent systems. In tbia instance the specific duty might well be struck out, for 3s 4n the £1 ia enough for any charge on any article of the apparel of the poor. The free lijrt Bas bean far too mnch cut dWn. We hoped to see a "free list for tie farmer'" made a> feature of any Australian proposals. And it ie a , Serious error to tax the raw materials of i any industry. Mr Kingston eeems to i think it is a stroke of genius to tax print-1 ing paper 10 per cent. Yet this is bar- \ dening an industry which does not derive . a'penny beaeSt iram protection, and the; impost most diminish employment ia pro-1 portion to the newspapers -which it causes either to curtail or to stop." j