THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 3

THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

The Commonwealth Treasurer has had a statement prepared showing how the new Australian tariff figures when compared with those of certain other protectionist tariffs and with the pre-ledcra-tion • Victorian tariff. This statement .shows that as the tariff now stands tho I averago duty on the total schedule, excluding specie and bullion, stimulants and narcotics, is 12 1-3 per cent. The , average rate on dutiable goods, excluding stimulants and narcotics, is 19^ per cent., or, including them, 29 1-3 per cent. Comparing the average on dutiable goods, excluding stimulants and narcotics— l 9% per cent. — with tariffs of' other countries, old Victorian; and 1902 Commonwealth tai-iffs, calculated on the same basis, Canada shows £3.9 per cent. ; New Zealand 22, per cent. ; United States, 39.75 per cent. ; Victoria, 25 per cent, (there was a very large free list to this tariff) ; 1902 Commonwealth, 16.9 per cent. Comparing the average of the schedule, excluding stimulants ancl narcotics, specie ancl bullion, ghes the following result.-— Schedule now before tho House, 12 1-3 per cent. ; Canada, 14^ par cent.-; New Zealand, 12 per cent. ; United States, 22 pa- cent. ; Victoria, 8^ per cent, (as f-tated above, the very largo free lifet accounts for llrLs low average) ; 1902 Commonwealth, 10.6 per cont. As the tariff | oiiginally stood a total revenue, customs ancl excise, of £10,509,000 was anticipated; that is, when the new tariff had been in operation sufficiently 'long to enable its effect to have full operation. As it now stands it will bring in £11,140,000, but ultimately, no doubt, will fall to about £10,200,000 net, made up as follows — Customs, £8,140.000 ; excise, £2,060,000 ; total, £10,200,000.