THE TAX ON TEA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 7854, 10 December 1903, Page 2

THE TAX ON TEA.

The deputation appointed by the New Plymouth 1 Tradesmen's Association to wail on the Premier regarding the import tax of 2d per Jb oh tea in packets journeyed oy the afternoon* train to Inglewood on Wednesday afternoon and met Mr Seddon on the express tram. The members of the deputation were Messrs R. Cock •Jlayor of New Plymouth), H. Goodacre [j. resident Tradesmen's Association); C. Uarter, Fraser, and H. ,F., Russbll (Sectary to the Association), and were introduced by Mr E., M. Smith, M.H.R. v ' The tacts "of the case -were put before -he Premier, by tha various delegates, who axplitined the position fully— that the tax on imported bulk tea had been remitted, but had been retained in the case of the packed teaiimported by retailers. • The Premier, in replying, said that the tax was /there now, and could' not be removed except by legislation. It would have to remain there 'until Parliament jould , deal with the matter next session. Ho stated , that this piece of legislation was passed, at the instance of the wholesale packing firms, who had represented to him that the- packing industry of the colony was suffer ing. by this: importation of teas packed in pound packets by cheap Cingalese labour. J hey requested that the duty of 2d per lb bo imposed on all. parcels- of tea weighing up to two pounds, and 'that above that weight the import should be duty free. Ho had refused to grant that, but had consented to insert die clause relating to pound packets. He had expected that the House would challenge cms, but it. had been allowed to pass unquestioned. Members could, not have been attending to their business at fcho time, or the clause would never have been made law. He thought the result wnuld be that retail firms .would now import in bulk, and do their own packing. In that way they would escape the import charge. Tib only other way of evading the tax would be to import in large packets—even a pound and c an ounce would suffice to .relieve importers of the tax. — " Daily News.

Those who wish to try a singular experiment will be interested in learning • fiiat a correspondent of Country Life says:— "Meny years ago one man bet another that he. could not move an ordinary brick- Jied^to the end of a cord two or three miles long— l forget which. A straight and level road just outside Unchester was sehcted for the trial; the brick Mas not mo^ed, and the man lost * i 5e5 ct L for a lar « e amount. It was stated, by some one present that the brick, although weighing only 71b, would, from' a, distance of two or three miles represent a dead weight of nearly a ton." In view of the feet that Parliament reoeivtly vote^a £15,000 towawte the Queen Victoria memorial in_ Lomfcm it is - interesting to recall wtat the colonial Premiers pledged to at 1 the Cgnf^rence hold in London last yte*>£ jGanada promised £30,000 for the membrial, Australia (noihing definite) Ne^.2Sßaland not less than £15,000,' Cape Colony £20,000. Na<fcal Wttceeding, £10,000, Newfoimdland £2000,