THE NEW TARIFF

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17297, 8 November 1921, Page 6

THE NEW TARIFF

DIXIT ON FRUIT. (special to "the rirass.") AUCKLAND, November 7The Christchurch protest against the new duty on oranges, lemons, and bananas was discussed by those interested in the trade to-day. Mr T. TV. Attwood, president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, had a good deal to say on the subject of the fruit tariff this morning. He did not agree with the statement reported to have been mad-3 bv Mr G. D. Macfarlane, of Christchurch", that the duty would force manv fruiterers out of business. The duty would only affect oranges and lemons imported chiefly from Amend, and .Vew Zealand did not get much from that country, the bulk coming from islands under the Government ot New Zealand. These islands, he said, could send a great deal more fruit than thev did at present, as soon as thev had" good up-to-date methods ot Finding and distribution, for they were now in a hopeless muddle with these things. The penny a pound duty on lemons was quite as it should be. Growers might reasonably have, expected a little" more protection, as from now on they would be in a position to supplv the full lemon requirements ot the dominion. Citrus fruits were grown only in the Auckland province, and growers had asked the Tariff Commission to give them 2d per lb duty. No protection was asked on oranges or because New Zealand could not possibly compete with these fruits from the islands. The lemon duty would give local growers an advantage of 3s 4d per case of 401b, plus freight, on lemons imported, and New Zealand growers should be able to stand up with this. When they had improved their methods of standardisation and distribution, thev could reasonably ask the Government" for a further increase to 2d per lb. The producers had also asked the Government to put a duty on tomaitoes, principally to prevent dumping. This fruit was often imported in considerable quantity just at tho time when local hothouse supplies were making their appearance, and a tariff would protect against the dumping menace. It did not pay, snid Mr Attwood, to grow lemons in New Zealand unless at least 10s a case could be obtained, yet a month or two ago_imported lemons were being sold at os a case, though they cost more than that to bring them in. These were rather badlv damaged in transit. The new tariff would make it unlikely that foreign growers would send them here. Mr J. Cowell, president of the Fruit Entailers' Association, who on Friday telesrraplhed to the Prime Minister on behalf of the Association, protesting against the imposition of Id per lb duty on bananas and oranges, and tho 100 per cent, increase on the duty on lemons, received yesterday tho followinsr telegram from the Hon. TV. Nosworthy:—"Customs Department here advise that Id per lb duty in new Customs tariff does not apply to Australian, Fiji, and Cook Islands > oranges and bananas. They aro admitted free from tihose places.'' LICENSED VICTUALLERS' PEOTEST. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TKLEGKAM.) WELLINGTON, November 7. At a meeting of the National Executive of the licensed trado of New Zealand, the question of the increased duties on beers and spirituous liquors was disoussed. It was decided to register with the united voice of the licensed trade of New Zealand an emphatic protest against the increase by 100 per cent, of the already heavy taxation. It was resolved that the increased taxation was out of proportion to the general increases on the Dominion's taxable commodities} and the incidence of such high taxation must _ necessarily compel an increase of price to that large section of the public who are already the heaviest payers of voluntary taxation. INUTJSTBIAIi ASSOCIATION EESOLUTION. (FBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, November 7. The Auckland Industrial Association executive has forwarded the following resolution to the Hon. W. Downie Stewart:—"That the suggested threeBchedule tariff under the headings indicated by the resolutions concerning the tariff fails to meet the necessities of the Dominion'B secondary industries. The demand of all secondary industries has been for an intermediate schedule upon which would be placed only such countries, whether British Dominions or. specially favoured nations, as would reciprocate. This executive strongly urges that the first column should apply to the United Kingdom only, and that all other countries be placed on the third column, except those which express their willingness to reciprocate, in which case they he placed on the intermediate column."