THE TARIFF QUESTION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17072, 17 February 1921, Page 8

THE TARIFF QUESTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

Sir,—Your correspondent, the president of the Canterbury Industrial Association, writing on the ahove question { seems to be somewhat mixed concerning the connexion existing between tariffs and prices. "If the consumer," he says, "desires to purchase goods at prices only possible through the misery and degradation of human beings, tliea ttho consumer stands condemned."' He £ocb on tq quote wages [>aid in. tha

British linen industry a decade ago. One wonders just how the imposition 01 Customs duties in New is to improve the conditions of these ' miserable and degraded" human beings who manufacture our linen and other goods. Again he says: "Price is largely determined by tne standard of living in the country of manufacture, and by the tariff." Are we to inter that we can raise standards of living in countries where our goods nre manufactured by tariffs in New Zealand r it would be truer to say that- importers cost prices in New Zealand are determined by prices in the country of production, plus chatges and tariffs here; and that goods locally produced lire never bought at prices lower than those of similar imported articles. For it is undeniable that the imposition of duty on an article raises the price of that article by the amount of the dutyat least, usually by much more, for importers and dealers base profit charges on duty as well as on original ?° s tYour correspondent's statement would be much more effective if he could quote articles that are both imported and locally manufactured, to show that import price plus tariff does not govern local cost price. Further, protection against any exploitation of consumers is promised under Departmental administration of the Board of Trade Act. 1919. The experiences of the last few years 6eem to suggest doubt of the ability of any public department to protect the consumers from exploitation. Perhaps the Association's promised propaganda will be more convincing.— Yours, etc., A. H. TOCKER.