WOMEN'S TASTES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 82, 3 October 1931, Page 16

WOMEN'S TASTES

SUPERIOR TO TARIFFS

OUTSIDE LEGISLATION

"Evening Post," 3rd October.

If all Mr. Myer, chairman of the Slyer Emporium, Ltd., Melbourne, is correct —arid he should know—high prices make no difference to the woman of fashion once'she sets her heart upon some article of dress or personal adornment.- At the recent annual meeting of the company of which Mr. Myer is the head, he informed shareholders that as a business man he was glad to know that the Australian Tariff Board in its report to the Government had recommended a systematic reduction of the tariff. The board had made an expression of opinion tnat Australian difficulties would- never be overcome by simply raising the duties under the Customs tariff, and also that piohibitive duties tend to a serious disruption of trade generally. "The effect of the- tariff, as it now stands, has been disastrous in many directions," Mr. Myer continued. "It is-bear- ;- ing heavily on the public, because it has seriously increased the cost to the people of kinds of merchandise which are desirable, if not altogether essential. Parliament cannot change by legislation the nature and tastes of women, so many of whom are attracted and satisfied only by the artistic, the new, and the beautuul things of the world. MATERIALS AND PERFUMES. "The Australian woman of faßhion will not buy a local standardised material which is in evidence everywhere. If she cannot find on this market that which 'is artistic, refined, and up to the minute in fashion, she will not buy until she goes abroad. Neither will she buy local perfumes, which may be all right intheir way, but which do not satisfy her; she prefers to do without. She will not look at locally-made handbags that are not up* to the standard she has set her heart upon, and which ishe knows are available in Europe; she will just be satisfied with what she has until she makes her trip. By all means let us have pr<> tective tariffs, but only in as far as they really protect, and are scientifically sound and constructive as a national policy. '.'".■ • ■ ■ ;• SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS. "I ask you, is it fair, for instance,: to good old England, or to France, that over and above exchange, primage, sales tax, freights, and insurances, which of themselves total anything from 60 to 70 per cent., a further 100 to 150 per cent, in Customs duties, should, be put on highclass, superfine textiles produced in those Countries when the wool of which they are made was actually bought from Australia and landed duty free in those countries? Is such a policy equitable or practical? Does it encourage the reciprocity of trade, which is so desirable if Australia is to have good markets overseas. for her own exports? "Let us as a nation be sensible, and not persist in excessive and unwise tariff legislation, the simple effect of which is to prevent people in Australia from buying what they want, without bringing any sort of advantage to Australian manufacturers." ,' ... ■