Tariff Reciprocity.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17410, 22 March 1922, Page 6

Tariff Reciprocity.

Brief cable messages, another of which was printed yesterday, have kept us informed that Sir Downie Stewart has been continuing his negotiations with Mr Sogers, the Commonwealth Minis-

vast of Customs, for the arrangement of i;ome measure of tariff reciprocity between Australia and New Zealand. In the meantime, certain Australian manufacturers are pressing Mr Rogers to hurry along »me reciprocal arrangement with Now Zealand. The Boot Manufacturers' Association of Victoria, in particular, is much disturbed by the New Zealand duty of 45 per cent, on Australian boots, which are now exported in large quantities. The Australian boot manufacturers are themselves protected by a duty of 45 per cent., but white they wish the New Zealand tariff against them to be lowered, they desire that the local protection of 45 per e:nt. shall remain. No doubt they would Qiave Mr Rorvrs ask for concessions by New Zealand, in return for a reduced tariff on other articles than boote which might come from the Dominion. This, of course, is manifestly -unreasonable, although advocates of protection everywhere habitually regard tariffs as thing? upon which t<? base bargains in whioh. each individual trade aims at obtaining advantages at the expense of other trades, as well as of the cmrumer generally. In previous articles we have urged that Australia and New Zealand should grant each other their most favourable tariffs; but, as we have seen, the New Zealand manufacturer who is enabled to levy extra toll upon tlhe New Zea/Land public through the raising of the tariff against Australia, is anxious that no abatement of our tariff shall be granted. Wo find that some critics of j real reciprocity are saying that such an exchange of most-favoured nation treatment would involve "anomalies,'' and "a notable lack of elasticity." " There is no longer room," one critio has said, "for a sentimental tariff." As to the first of these two points, nobody has ever explained -what "anomalies wcfuld result from so rational a tilling as genuine reciprocity, nor what is meant by "elasticity." As to the second point, these who have paid any attention to the development of inter-Imperial relictions, will hear in the deprecation of "a sentimental tariff" the first rumb-. lings of the commercial disintegration of Imperial unity.