AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Evening Star, Issue 17958, 3 May 1922, Page 2

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

THE TARIFF PROPSALB. SHOULD RESTORE TRADE. - Tho tariff negotiations between New Zealand and Australia, were the subject of a statement by the Hon. W. Downic Stewart on bis arrival at Auckland- from Sydney. He could not make any forecast as to how far tho agreement would prove satisfactory to the New Zealand Parliament or the Australian Parliament, ho said, and it bad to bo remembered that tho previous agreements had failed to secure ratification. Tho present agreement was, however, on a. much more elaborate scale than anything hitherto attempted. Apart altogether from what was decided upon, certain further proposals were made by tho Commonwealth Government of a far-reaching nature, which he promised to submit to his colleagues for their consideration. These involved issues which had not been considered before ho left New Zealand, and ho therefore did not feel warranted in taking action regarding them. While avoiding any reference to tho terms of tho proposed treaty, the Minister said arrangerneiiis had been made whereby goods of British origin in transit through either country or re-exported from either country ceased to bo subjected to extreme tariff. It had been intended that this should operate nr, from May 1; but ho had not yet heard whether tho necessary steps had been taken in Melbourne and Wellington. As to the remainder of tho tariff proposals, if the tentative agreement was allowed it should help to Tester© the volume of tradb to something approaching that ruling prior to tho recent revision of tariff in both countries.