TARIFF RECIPROCITY

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 6

TARIFF RECIPROCITY

SUPPORTED BY COMMERCE • CONGRESS. Freon Association—By Telegraph-Copyright. HOBART, March 23. (Received March 23, at 10.50 a.m.) Tho -Conference of the Chambers of Commerce passed a resolution urging the Fedora! Government to establish a- complete reciprocity agreement with New Zealand without delay. CANDID CRITICISM. It is peculiarly audacious for Australian; manufacturers, who enjoy -the benefit of a high tariff, or Australian politicians, who impose it, to lecture oilier countries on fiscal matters (says the ‘Australasian’). ’The New Zealand parliament has imposed a .duty of 45 per cent, on boots and shoes coming from Australia. That is the rate which the Commonwealth Parliament has i mposed upon boots coming into Australia from other countries, including New Zealand. The .rate is high ; but that is not the question. Boot manniactnrers ■hero, in common with other manufacturers, and with the aid of the high tariff parly, succeeded in getting practically prohibitive rates against all countries, in* eluding their nearest neighbor, -New Zealand. ' Ono of the most regrettable features of tho long and discreditable tsrift orgy was the fact that no regard whatever was paid to the position of New Zealand. In these circumstances it requires a good deal of nerve for tho boot manufacturers in Australia to approach tho Minister of Customs with a request that ho stiould use his influence with tho New Zealand Minister to bring about a reduction of the duty on boots. All the arguments which they use in favor of New Zealand duties being reduced are the arguments which, wcTc'tho position reversed, they would uso in favor of high duties against New Zealand. Tho duties have kept Australian boots out of Now Zealand, and if manufacturers commence business in New Zealand they will very quickly -have a monopoly as complete as the manufacturers in tho Commonwealth enjoy. That may bo a bad thing for tho Now Zealand people; but it is for them to pursue their own interests in their own way. If they arc willing to confer there privileges on their own manufacturers _thcy can cite the Australian precedent in justification. Tho boot manufacturers want the Australian market -to themselves; but, with selfish inconsistency, claim tho right to “dump” their surplus in other countries.