TARIFF REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 10

TARIFF REFORM.

6 AN ENGLISH MANUFACTURER'S VIEWS. IB! TELEOEAI-n.— kl'fxii.l. COIiKESrONDENT.I Dunedin, March 16. . Uur tariff reform would enable us tt> give preference to Imperial products—to givo preference to the colonies." Thus Mr A. 13. Kent, a prominent manufacturer from the Homeland, and a member of tho Tarill Heforra League, who granted an interview to the Star' to-day. "A writer to your paper," said he, "states that taritt reform means a duty of 2s. a quarter on Australasian corn. No such duty would bo imposed upon any Imperiallygrown corn, but only on tho foreign-grown article. We want to set up a basis of taxation that will make tho foreigner pay a little. How can we give the preference to the colonies without a tariff?" Mr. Kent thinks that conditions have so changed at Homo in the last :tweutyfivo years that Frectrado is no longer consistent with tho welfare of the Empire. i( "When Cobden instituted it," bo says, "England was the manufacturing centre of tho world. Cobden believed that other nations would go on buying our manufactured article, and send raw material in exchange, but they have started manufacturing for themselves, and have fostered their ; manufactures by high protective tariffs. Wo are now only third in tho steel and iron manufactures, America and Germany aro easily ahead, and here we aro sending contracts for £18,000 to Belgium, giving all that money for foreign labour, and the next minute voting £5000 to the unemployed whom wo have robbed, of employment. A reasonable protectivo tariff (which is what wo contemplate) would mean that probably these foreign manufacturers would have t'o make their articles in England with British labour. For example, your colonial tarill is so heavy on paint brushes that I have commenced manufacturing them in Melbourne, employing Australian labour." Mr. Kent anticipates that there will bo an curly general election, and that tariff reform will gain a lot of ground. Ho thinks that the Labour party must, with further experience, favour tho movement. "I think," he concluded, "that Mr. Balfour's declaration in favour of reform will consolidate the party. Tariff reform is the front plank of tho Unionist platform. 1 anticipate an early general election, and I venture to think that' such strides hare boon made- as to ensure tlio day to tho reform party." ■ ■ ■ • ' , Fertile Waikato blocks for sale- arc advertised by Mr. 11. Ernest Leighton, IS6 Fflatherston Street, Wellington, or at Lower Hutt. Mr. A. Cuff's well-known Ayrshire herd will be sold by Messrs. Bothuno and Co. at the Homestead, Stokes' Valley, near Silvcrstream Bridge, dii Tuesday, March 30, at noon. Attention is ilnuvu to an 'advertisement of tho Taringamutu Totara Sawmills, Ltd., apelsewhere in this issue.

. : METEOROLOGICAL, ji WEATUBU AT 5 P.M. YESTEEDAT. Russcll.-S.B.ff.i light;- barometer, 29.93; therbarometer. 30.05; the, m S ter Ca 6 p 3 o.-S. 30.10; th STepoint:-S.E.. & barometer, 30.15; therXfliytutWlinrbaScr 30.03; ther30.03; «•«; thermometer, 69. Pino; sea smooth. ■ Cam; Farewell Rγ l *-— East ' fresh! barometer, 30Oβ" thermometer, 68. Cloudy; sea moderate CapeiFoulwind.-S.Vr.. light; barometer, 30.08; thermometer, 69. Cloudy; sea moderate. Capo Campbell.-S.E., fresh; barometer, 30.21; fhnrmometer, 60. Bain;.sea smooth. K%urX-E.N.E., light; barometer, 30.21; thermometer, 63. Gloomy; sea light swell. Port Chalmcrs.-N.E., strong; barometer, 30.23; thermometer, 64. Overcast; sea, heavy rip. Nu&gets.-N.E., gale; barometer, 30.15; thermometer, 56. Cloudy; sea considerable. Bluff.-East, fresh; barometer, 30.11; thermometer, 60. Fine. WEATHER FORECAST TO 5 P.M. TO-DAY. Strong winds to gale generally from the east ward with rain northward of Queenstown and Nuepet Point. Moderate to strong easterly; and fine in the southernmost part of the Dominion. ' R. A. EDWIN. Moteorological Office, Wellington. March 16, 1909.