REVISING THE TARIFF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 4 September 1925, Page 5

REVISING THE TARIFF.

AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS

BY CABLE-r-PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRHIGT

MELBOURNE, Sept. 2. In the House of Representatives the Hon. H. E. Pratten (Minister lor Trade and Customs) tabled the revised tariff schedule. He said the giving of preference to Britain led to a measure of preference- being given to Australia, by Britain. His personal view was that the present preference of Britain might be further extended to Australia in the not distant future. The purpose of this tariff was a direct one, to protect local industries and to revise the revenue so a-s to give some decrease in taxation.

The revised tariff provides for increases. to the duties on 54 items and decreases on 48. The duty on whisky and gin is raised from 30s to. 35s per gallon. Mr. Pratten said the Government had found that generally after a scrutiny the recommendation of the Tariff Board- could be accepted, but it had not been, able to endorse all the recommendations made. Wherever without injuring an industry it was possible reductions had _ been made consistent with the necessity of raising sufficient revenue to enable the work of the country to he carried on. These would reduce the cost of living and would result in giving relief from the payment of duty on articles of everyday use of more than £750,000 annually. Wherever it was demonstrated that it was necessary further to protect local industries action had been taken, and the Government had not hesitated to make drastic changes in order to put some valuable basic industries in no uncertain position. The .value of imported goods in the last financial year affected by the proposed tariff increases amounted to over £30,000,000, and the importation of goods affected by the reductions to over £10,000,000. As the result of the tariff it was estimated that within two years from 25,000 to 30,000 employees would l>© required in industrial developments which were expected to take.place. Although the new duties might in some cases temporarily increase the price of commodities affected, the public would be called upon to pay ■ £750,000 annually less in another direction in connection with their consumption of goods necessarily imported. The number of United Kingdom free items and sub-items in the present tariff was 275; in the- proposed tariff it was increased to 311. _ The additional preference to British goods would increase- the value of British goods and would increase the value of the British preference by over half a million sterling. Mr. Pratten added that the Government regretted that the late application by the iron and steel industry had not enabled the Government to consider this great basic industry in connecteion with the proposals now made. The tariff provided for an increase in the duty on woollen yarns from the United Kingdom from 10 to 20 ner cent. The schedule of tariff amendments outlined by Mr. Pratten covers ale, spirits, agricultural products, groceries, textiles, metals, machinery, oils, paints, earthenware goods, drugs, chemicals, wood andi wicker work, 'ewellery, fancy goods, paper and stationery, vehicles and musical instruments,