AMERICAN TARIFF.

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 40, 16 August 1921, Page 7

AMERICAN TARIFF.

EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND. . The American tariff was briefly referred to at yesterday s meeting of the Council of the Wehngton Chamber o£ Commerce. A letter was received from the Department of Industries and Commerce enclosing a copy ot the statement made recently by the American Consul-Genewil .to The .Post. The president of the chamber (Mr. J. T, Martin) said this was the statement in which the Consul argued Uiat the tariff was not prohibitive against the produce of New Zealand. Mr. Martin' referred briefly to this contention on the lines of his speech at the annual meeting of the chamber, saying that the rates against wool, meat, butter, and cheese were so heavy as to amount to prohibition o£ importation. The rate for New Zealand lamb was two cents a lb, and he believed there was the prospect of lamb being again exported from the Dominion to America. The tariff was only for six months, and the permanent tariff was now being framed. The tariff was not against die British Dominions specially, but against the whole world. Mi. Longuet said the tariff was really against the American consumers, unless America could produce sufficient for her own requirements. Another member of the chamber said that New Zealand could not influence the framing of the tariff, though it could retaliate. It was a matter for the- American people themselves. Mr. C. H. Young said that ho had recently had an interview with a Cali-foi-nian business man. who said: it was dawning "upon American business men that to be exporters they must also be importers. ' The letter was received and no further action was taken. . .