AUSTRALIAN TARIFF

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1933, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN TARIFF

ALTERATIONS IN SCHEDULE. (Recd. March 9, 1 p.m.) CANBERRA, March 9. The tariff schedule giving effect to the Ottawa agreement, was tabled by the Minister of Customs (Mr White). It provides for increased duties on eight lines of goods and 51 reductions of special duties. A resolution was tabled freeing from the 50 per cent, surcharge, thirteen important groups of goods, including gramophone records, motor cycles, and frames, motor vehicle bodies, and assembled motor vehicle chassis. Excepting by special agreement or until after six months notice given to the New Zealand Government, nothing in the resolution covering special duties will affect any goods manufactured oi* produced in New Zealand entering the Commonwealth from New Zealand.

Mr White said that irrespective of Ottawa, this trend in tariff adjustment was inevitable and essential to bring to a reasonable level prohibitive rates on many items on which the Tariff Board had not had the opportunity to report, as was provided they should do under the Act. While the results might be unsatisfactory to sincere free traders or stern protectionists, the aim was to attain a fair balance between primary and secondary industries, and in conjunction with the comprehensive schedule already before the House, to bring the greatest measure of development of employment. and general prosperity to Australia.