THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 133, 2 December 1901, Page 4

THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

,♦ , . The Federal House of Representatives has made several reductions in the duties originally imposed by the Commonwealth. The following table will show the chief alterations which have been cabled to this colony: — • Article. Bevised Duty. Original Duty Cocoa ia peril) 2d,plus 15 % ad val Chocolate Id per lb 2d, plus ,15 % ad val Tea (in bulk) ... 3d per lb 2d, plus 20 % ua val Tea (in package) ... 4d per lb 3d, plus 20 % ■d val Earthenware „.' 20 %ad val 15 %, plus 80. per cubic ft Glassware 20 %ad val 15 %, plus 6d per cubic ft Opium 80s per lb 20s per lb Tobacco ... ... 3d 3d per lb 3s Gd per lb Biscuits ldperlb lsdperlb Blue ldperlb Sdperlb Candles, raw material, lard and refined fats ldperlb l^dperlb Fruits, n.o.e. ... Is per cental 2s per cental Oatmeal, etc. ... id per lb Id per lb Alaizena& Cornflour -id per lb Id per lb Fruit Juiceß ... »d per gal Is per gal Honey and Jellies... l*d per lb 2d per lb Salt 10b per ton 20s per ton Canary, Hemp, and a , Bape Seed ... Is 6dp. cental Is% ad val In addition to the above changes' the duties on white pine for butter-boxes and on oysters have been, abolished, while the original duties on coffee, chicory, eggs, bacon and hams, wheat, malting barley, bran, pollard, sharps, grain and pulse, linseed meal and cake, hay, chaff, straw, fresh meat, fish, poultry, potted and concentrated meats, potatoes, onions, hops, and malt have been retained. The only concessions that affect this colony are, besides those on- white pine and oysters, the reductions on oatmeal, rolled oats, etc., and possibly that on maizena. Generally speaking, there was little desire to show" any favour to New Zealand" products, and it is worth noting that when Sir William M'Millan moved a reduction of the duty on bacon and hams Mr. Kingston said he would be delighted to see New Zealand in the Federation, and if she approached the Federal Government the latter would gladly assist to bring about more intimate relations between that colony and the Commonwealth. Evidently it is intended to make New Zealand realise that she is outside the Commonwealth, for among the many reductions of duty noted above the only one which materially affects our produce, if we • except' white ;pine, which Australia cannot do without, is that on meal. Our chief exports to Australia are to be heavily taxed, and the effect is already visible in the cargoes which are leaving our ports for the Commonwealth.