THE NEW TARIFF. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER

Grey River Argus, 27 July 1907, Page 4

THE NEW TARIFF. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER

A :eputation brought .under the notice of the Minister of Customs at Wellington last Wednesday-, a grievance the local bodies are mider in consequence of the revised* tariff increasing the duties on cast iron pipes and electrical appliances. It was pointed out that the tariff would result in a heavy loss jo the City Council and other local bodies which had various pulhlic works in hand." _ The Minister in reply said the policy of the Government was to find work for its own people before finding it for anyone else ; encouragement should be .given to an industry which had already .been started in the colony. The total remission of taxation •amounted to £370,000 under the Government proposals and the increases to £132,000. It was absolutely impossible for the Government to sacrifice any more revenue. There was no justification for steam "machinery paying twenty per cent duty and electrical machinery allowed to come in at ten per cent. He had fruitlessly en- < deavored to get electrical engineers to differentiate ibeiweeri'electrical appliances and electrical machinery ; prob- ' a:bly something could be done to give relief as far as copjper or insulating wire was concerned, and if electrical engineers would assist him in the way he required, he would be alble to give the matter 'better consideration.