THE TARIFF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 99, 20 January 1908, Page 7

THE TARIFF.

4 , ' ' , MRi MILLAR CI AIMS SUCCESS. - 1 grlpes 'restrictions.' l - (BT IBLTQEAJ'tT —niKSS ASSOCIATION) 1 I, >.. ' '« ■* ,-Chrlstohurohi January 18. >-■* , . The Hon. *J., A. .ifillarj '.Minister firf- ■ .Labour, who . arrived yesterday morning from ■" • 'Wellington, an 3 left tor Duncdin by tho first J ' ! i .express, , ; was ■ seon iy a Press -representative, , irhp obtained . .from: {ho ijomo ini of jgeporal .importance. > ' j„ t| AND CIEL XABOHR -; Referring to .-the shortage -of 'hoy 'and igirl s"" - jlaboiiVj Mr. '.Millar .said that the xompiamta ■ ' , spf .thoishortßge ..-appeared to-.bG ivory /general, ' , a nd manufacturers, stated that' they conld 1 materially increase "their output if tliDy could l i (GetAtho.,regiiisite.-Jabour.t." '.The shortage waft"' 1 Jiat only ..in regard to boy and girl (labour, ' ~ but .also in soveral .industries to journeymen. " I have beon going into tho matter, 51 the ' ; , Mii)istcr flontinuedj !'and obtaining all tho i possible .information, and this I intend laving ■, ,before >th 6 Cabinet; but : l 'do .not 'think that ■ - tho .Ggvprnmpnt. Jiavo any intention of an-" .auj*Uratmg. a general immigration ; policy,- • - though they may :see tlie necessity for da-■ . ing -something the-'direction ofprondmg : more domestic servants-,.-and..tinsi phase of \ tho - question- ivill also- .be considered - by'- 1 Cabinet. Australia , has a definite scheme .undcr ; way, . and ; it Eeemstolie-attractmg'a : -\ good number- of idomestio servants to the ; Commonwealth. Stops are being taken pri- - vateiy throughout the Dominion to -get girls ■■ ... , from Groat Britain.' 'I/adies-in Ntvpier have , , i imported - between thirty and forty gsrls.- , ,P<;oplo are coming to, the. Dominion of- their" ■■'•■■■ ■'■'•i'-.--*-'-: own . the Minister added, ?'and ar®' ■>" : absorbed,as soon as they arrive." 1 - vSUCCESS OF THE TARIiT. ~ -*' The Tariff, so far as I can Snd out," Mr.- S •*• Millar said in'rcplyto a question, "is giv- v jing very geueral aatisfaation. - Inquiries were 1 ■ made by » reporter m Wellington as to- ; i whether tlie consumer., was, receiving - tho '-' benefit of the reductions; and it was wearly • .proved that in almost every lino prices have f-r----been reduced, by?the .amonnti.of:duty- taken! i ' off. Sugar has come -down to 2d. per pound, and ,the„ only-..-bn.es that have not been l re-.: ducoa are those of "which tho price has been . inoreaaod- in England, .but-in those, cases; yv\- ' . the. prices would have boon "higher if /the duty had not been reduced. It is too early - - ' V yet, to speak.of cotton goods, "as the redno- ' tion only came into force, on January 1, bul.■> ' i under#t»ndi jnoiny;- lines have been' . .loli'crcd.bylcheiataount SQS duty bub ; --i other linos,- tho prices at Home of which ' i have increased, have not been, reduced.: . i • MANUFACTUEERS BUS3T. ( .... J .'Jaken as a whole, I think I am safe in! baying that the bulk of tho reductions aro' " going into, the pocktifcs-of tho-consumor, and ,: v 's: so far as trado is ciDnocrned, manufacturers* ■ , t inform : mo" that'/they . have nev'oi been so -buoy for. many-yearis. Their one complaint is -not want of : work, but .want of hands. 1 ' - ' ' into - tho facts that - ,- J ■ employments I'aH increased, that there.is a " i-l greater ; permanencj' of' employment, / and; • ( that the reductions made are. being-received' ~1 jiy tho peoplo_ for whom they ,wero intended/ - j jl .may fairly."olaimVthat so far the. Tariff ; has bceri^shccossful.". ' ' - j . Regarding the poeuliar position which has -j arisen in ;conhection -witli ] the reduction of : -, , tho duty- on Australian ? grapes, Mr. Millar . ■ J .said that ; the, revocation preventing'the im-.- ■ j portation of grapes was. a matter under the , .1 ? cpritrohiof|'t.hoi'Minister for Agriculture; It >. • J had been decided' to remove the restrictive■■ ; ,< "regulation} ■' and other regulations j under' which Australian '"grapes can bo im- ,v • a ported, but these have not been .completed • ! 'yet,,.. ■. • ; " ' ; 4 LIGHTHOUSES. ■ ] i. .As to the [ proposed lighthouse at Tho, 1 ,Snaries,'\th'p| sfotW. that'tho Prime 1 i jljmstcr, had : tbmmiinicated" with tho Primo .■ 1 li'mister of tho Commonwealth, re-openmg ■) itlio qnejtion. ofvtho' cost of .-the lighthouso ! being borne jointly by'the' Cpminonwealth . J ■anditho Dominion, but Ee!'d|d &>!b think that - 1 uny. roply had- been rcceiyiKl-.' -'At, present j ,tho Hinepaoii ..is surveying'''.sites at Cape.- v, Bfetl'! and ; r the:'" North; Gape: for ra, new tght- : 1 iidueo; onH : 'one !or-other ynll-fibei, decidcd ! upon.' Shipmasters consider .that" Capo Bretb ■ is 'tho'-raore :suitable site.-i-. : r , Asked; if he' would say .anything regarding V ,the Independent Labour/party,'the Minister J said t-hatihe',was r^servin^' nis on ! ; ; tho snbjc'ct for an r>ddress he intends giv« i ing in Diinedin shortly. the South' Mr; Millar will visit . Jnvercatgill and I'nrb j M.olyneux. At: the last-mentioned place h» ; ; i ■jnlliiritpiire:into the requirements necessary. '. ■ to provide-a liarbour for fishermen. Shortly i after his return to Wellington, in .about a ; ! fortnight's time, Mr. Millar intends paying . - his long promised visit to tho West Coast or j this Island. . . .. ..y."..- : '