CUSTOMS BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10412, 20 October 1927, Page 6

CUSTOMS BILL.

ATTACKED IN UPPER’ HOUSE. FREE TRADER’S" CRITICISM. SIpOND READING PASSED. WELLINGTON, Oct. 19. In, tho Legislative Council to-day tho Orchard Tax Bill ancl Apiaries Bill were received from the House of Representatives and read a first time, the latter being also read a second time pro forma, and was referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. in moving the second readiug of tho Customs Amendment Bill, the Leader of the Council, Sir Frances Bell, merely pointed out that the Council had iio right to amend any part of it. The Hon. J. Malcolm, in a lengthy free trade speech, expressed the opinion that those interested in high protection, noisy as they were m their propaganda, were a mere handful. Protection must tend to make goods dearer. It encouraged bad management and prevented the development of new industries. If industries could not succeed in New Zealand without protection, they should not start at all. The idea that New .Zealand was unable to establish industries natural to her, without protection, was not complimentary to the Dominion. Referring to tho wheat industry, lie pointed out that Britain did not impose a tariff on wheat, and surely duties were not necessary here. Fanners had made a terrible mistake in supporting the tank. Tho Hon. W. Snodgrass regretted that a duty bad not been imposed on imported iron in the protection of the Onakaka products, and suggested it would have been more reasonable it 1.5 per cent, of the protective duty in respect of glass jars had been given in the protection of the iron industry. The lion. W. Eiirnsliaw thought that the Government had gone too far in the timber .duties, which would not tend to bring building costs down. _ ... The Hon. T. McKenzie said it is inevitable that high protection must come in- New Zealand as a result ol the drift to the towns. The lion. J. Hamm said that every country was seeking to make itsell self-contained, and New Zealand’s attitude at present was. consonant with that endeavor \ The Bill was read a second time and was committed without amendment, and set down for the thy-d reading on Friday Sir Francis Dell gave notice ot intention to introduce the Police Offences Consolidation Bill. Tho Council then adjourned at 4.22 until to-morrow. —P.A.