THE NEW TARIFF.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2305, 9 December 1864, Page 4

THE NEW TARIFF.

Accoeding to promise tbc Treasurer made the remainder of his financial statement last night, but owing to the very late horn- at which it wa3 delivered we are precluded from giving more than a very brief outline of it, referring more particularly to the new tariff. Before the question came on Mr. "Weld moved the suspension of the standing orders to permit; Mr. Fitzherberfc to bring in the Tariff Bill and two other financial measures which lie proposed to consider that evening. After considerable discussion, the Auckland members, with the exception of Messrs. Taylor and Carlcton, walked out, and on a division, ie being found that there were not two-thirds of the members voting with the ayes, the Speaker of course ruled that tho standing orders could not be suspended. The Government seemed to be somewhat in a fix at this evidently unexpected disappointment, and an adjournment took place for a quarter of an hour. Some other business was proceeded with, and later in the evoning Mr. Wold moved the suspension of the standing orders, to permit him to bring in the Tariff Bill only, which was agreed to, and tho Houso resolving itself into Committee of Supply, tho Treasurer made his statement. The most important part of it, tho tariff, reveals thp following increased duties:— The duty on spirits is to be increased from nine shillings to twelvo shillings per gallon ; on cigars and snuff, from three shillings to four and sixpence per pound ; on tobarco, from eightoonponco to two and sixpence per nouni ; on wipes, from tbreo tik\\-

lings to four Shillings* p'er'&allon u wo6d,**and five shillings per gallon in bottle; on alo, from sixpence to ninepcnce per gallon in wood, and a shilling to ci K bteenp<?nce in bottle ; on tea, from fourpence to sixpence per pound; on goods by measurement, fiom four shilhngß to five shillings per cubic foot ; on goods by weight, from three shilling!} tofourshillings perewt.; and on sugar, coff.ee and cocoa, firearms and gunpowder, no increase ia to bo made. TUis wHI make the Now Zealand tariff, as compared with those cf the Australian colonies, as follows: Tho duty on spirits will be tho same as in Tasmania, and two shillings per gallon more than in Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia ; on cigars and snuff it will be eighteenpence more than it is in Victoria, sixpence less than it is in New South Wales,andskpencemorethanitisin South Australia and Victoria ; on tobacco it will be sixpence more than in Victoria, a shilling more llian m South Australia, and the same as in New South Wales and Tasmania ; on ale in wood it will be fifty per cent, more than it is in any of the other colonies. On tea it Trill be the same as in Victoria and Tasmania, and double what it is in New South Wales and South Australia; on sugar, as wo have said before, there will be no increase, but it is already fifty per cenl. more than in the other colonies. The revenue which it is estimated will be obtained from these increased duties is as follows : — Spirits, £85,740 ; cigars and snuff, £3,000 ; tobacco, -631,96-1 ; wines, £10,648 ale, £20,778 ; tea, £13,561 ; goods by measurement, £27,585 ; goods by weight, £2,940 ; making a total of £198,210. Of this amount tae Treasurer states £154,000 is raised on articles of luxury, viz., spirits, cigars, suuff and tobacco, wines, and beer ; the measurement duties being levied indiscriminately on articles of necessity and luxury. His calculabions, he informs the House, are based on the assumption that the increased duties will neither diminish consumption nor incrpase smuggling ; and lie expects :i considerable increase of revenue, even from the existing duties, by the appointment of a competent Inspector of Customs. If the £198,216 is realised, the provinces' threefcurths, says the Treasurer, will be increased by £74,331. The interest on the £1,000,000 loan already raised (viz., on £818 000) will at 6 per cent, amount to £4.9,080 a year, the sinking fund on tho million to £10,000 a year, and the interest on £1,000,000 of Exchequer bills bearing 8 per cent, interest to £80,000 a year, making a total cf £139,000 a year, to which will have to be added the amount of the Panama subsidy ; and tins amount is to be met (the present revenue and expenditure being about equal) in the manner proposed. This is the gist of the Treasurer's statement ; and the sequel to it is that the Tariff Bill was passed through committee, with comparatively little discussion, reported to the House, and read a third linio and passed. It was subsequently transmitted to tho Legislative Council at a little after one o'clock thig morning, where it was also passed through its several stages, and returned to the House of Representatives.