SILK DUTIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1925, Page 5

SILK DUTIES

REPLIES- TO CRITICS

(Australian and N Z. Cable Association LONDON, 'May 19. Mr. Churchill who ■ presided at a meeting at the Treasury of a committee of the 'silk'trade'interests,' to consider the proposed sqafe of the silk duties, was bombarded in t’he House of Commons with questions on the subject. He told one questioner that a duty would not bo charged on any silk or artificial silk articles worn by passengers entering the country. Reasonable allowances would bo made with regard to- articles in personal luggage. Thereupon Miss Wilkinson .(Labour M.P.) pointed out this would' benefit those women who are able to buy dresses abroad. Mr. Churchill, in another reply, said that wood pulp would be liable to a duty only when converted into artificial silk. He did not think the new tariff would in any way affect the free- import of raw material for paper. Another questioner, who said artificial silk was made from cellulose acetate, which already was taxed under the German Reparations was referred; by Mr. Churchill to the Safeguarding of Industries Act. "' ' ' The Chancellor also quoted the latter Act to another questioner,-whom he informed that’ where articles liable to the new import duty were also liable to other duties, theSe duties would be merged, and the greater duty only would be charged.

GERMAN TARIFF INCREASED \ ■ (Reuter.) BERLIN, May 20. In explaining a new- tariff-, heavily, increasing the duties on cotton and woollen goods, artificial silk and motor cars, the Minister df ■ Economic affairs said they were merely transitory, and were intended to serve as a weapon for bargaining with othercountries, with a view to reciprocal reductions. The economic reasons for the increases were the heavy burden imposed on industry through taxation reparations, shortage of capital and high rates of interest. The commercial reasons were *that -the powerful competing countries- —those from which Germany drew her raw' materials —had introduced high tariff barriers, the lowering of which was essential to German industry if it was to survive. y BLOATS TO BRITAIN. BERLIN, May 20. , The new tariffs double many import duties, notably-- wool yarns, and constitute another blow at Britain’s export trade. The Minister of Economics said the duties on motor-cars and tractors were of a special character because foreign manufacturers enjoyed an extraordinary start over the. German motor industry, therefore the duties on imported motor cars would be higher than the duties on other products, amounting to about 350 i-eichmarks per vehicle. These duties will bo reduded by half-yearly stages to the normal tariff, 'rhe same procedure would be followed for a gradual reduction of the duties on tractors. AVith regard to tlie Customs duties on chemical products, which throughout amount to- under 10 per cent ad valorem, the Government’s proposals provided for lowering these m return for compensating advantages. CONSTANTINOPLE, May 20. German industrial penetration of Turkey has reached large proportions. She secured half a million pounds worth of orders in 12 months, coiuI pared with Britain’s £30,000.