THE TARIFF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1429, 2 May 1912, Page 5

THE TARIFF.

,- DUTY ON BILLIARD TABLES. ' The Hon. G. Laurenson was approached by Mr. Matthews, representing the billiard table -manufacturers of New Zealand yesterday afternoon. Mr. Matthews (who was introduced by Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.P.) stated that the billiard table manufacturers operating in the Dominion were working under n disadvantage. They had been made parties to the furniture workers' award, and were at the present time working under that award, despite the fact that the furniture trade enjoyed a protective duty of 40 per cent., and his trade only had 20 per cent The billiard table manufacturers desired to be put on the eame basis as the furniture manufacturers. Hβ estimated the output of the billiard table manufacturers of New Zealand per year as .£IO,OOO. If the Minister could not see his way clear to increase the duty on the imported Mr. Matthews urged that slate for billiard table's,, be admitted free. He mentioned that an enormous amount of slate was rendered useless by being broken either on landing or during transit from the wharf to the factory. The Customs Department allowed a drawback of duty if the 'slate was damaged before delivery was taken on the wharf. . He suggested a similar concession should apply between wharf and factory. It would be a help to the trade if the duty on the raw material was reduced. Tho Minister replied that no decision had been come to by the Cabinet as to whether the tariff should be overhauled this year or not, but the representations that had been made would be carefully noted, so that whenever the tariff was revised, the case of the billiard table industry should be considered. Speaking for himself, he sympathised with the suggestion for removing duty on the materials rather than with the proposal to increase that on any finished article.