THE GOVERNMENT ON REDUCTION OF THE TARIFF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1291, 21 November 1911, Page 7

THE GOVERNMENT ON REDUCTION OF THE TARIFF.

Sir,—lf the public only knew how much duty they pay on their boots and shoes they : would be astonished, and this by the working man's Liberal and Labour Government, who punishes them so unmercifully to the amount of from SO, per cent, to 120 per cent, on their boots and shoes. This, too, on goods that tmve never been mado in the Dominion, are not now. made in tho Dominion, and we do not know when' they will be mado in thei'Dominiori. Not only have they done this, but they have punished t'noir children ,as well, by altering the sizes of boots and'.thus maid's sizo two's are women's, ■girls of 10 and 11 years of ago take this The Customs Department say they: are women's (which is r.ot true).' Th'j same courso is adopted by .saying the boys', or youths', No. s's are men's (which is not true), as.this sizo.is .worn .by. youths. of ; 12 and II years old. They chargo Is. 6(1. per pair and Is. 3d', per pair, being 15 per cent, ad valorem on their invoice price, besides, in all 2s. 9d. per pair -on your boys' boots, which,-to my mind, is thoroughly dishonest. They also insult your practical knowledge by asserting that-a ladj's slipper is a walking shoe, although you know that this is wrong and absurd. But if the Under-' Secretary of tfce Oustoms says so, you must accept his decision, becauss it brings Is..'per pair and 15 per cent, ad valorem duty to the Government. This: is increasing the duty at a fearful rate on the working man. To saj that they aro reducing taxes is all humbug. The curious thing about this is, that the poor man pays a higher duty for his boots, nlso for the wife's and children's, but the rich man "every' time," according to value, pays less, and this by your Liberal %nd 'Laboiis Government.—l am, etc., / ' HEEL AWL.