HOW LUXURIES ESCAPE.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 137, 12 June 1888, Page 2

HOW LUXURIES ESCAPE.

A glance over the new tariff as set out in full in the schedule to the Customs Duties Bill bliowb that while almost every article of daily use and necessity is to bo subjected to increased taxation, many articles of absolute luxury, and which only people who haye means considerably beyond those essential to provide bare subsistence use, are allowed to remain at tho former rate of duty. Wo will pick ont a few. Carpets wore imported last year to tho value of £17,498. They aro left untouched at 15 per cent, ad valorem. If druggeting had been left untouched, tho more expensive kind of carpets might well have been raised to, saj', the same duty as plops and apparel, with great benefit to the revenue. Gold and silver plate, imported last year to the value of £1381, has no increase of duty imposed. Those who can afford to grace their sideboards with the procious metals are not out of their superfluity to pay anything extra towards the taxation of the country, and neither aro those who if not able to indulge In gold or (silver plato, can afford plated or oloctro-plated ware, which wcro imported last year to the value of £10,544. Surely these goods could have stood another 5 pnr cent., as woll as woollons. Jewellory was imported to the valuo of £18,909, but tho duty on it is loft untouchod at 15 por cent., while boots and shoes are obarged 20 per eont. Paintings and engravings remain at 15 per cent, to adorn tho walls of the rich, but the lithographs and printß, which the working-man with a taßto for art can only afford, are to pay a duty of 25 per cent. Silks last year wero imported to tho value of £7413, and although the duty on them is raised, it is still uniform with the every day articles of drapery required by even tho poorest class of the community. Such are a fow items of tho tariff which are worthy of a littlo attention on the part of the public.