THE FINANCIAL BURDEN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 30 May 1919, Page 5

THE FINANCIAL BURDEN.

OPINION OF MR MYERS

NEW TARIFF SCHEME

(BY TELEGRAPH —PKESS ASSOCIATION.) | WELLINGTON, May 2D. Speaking at the annual meeting of the .Wellington Chamber of Commerce, I tne Hon. a. M. Myers referred to the increased financial tuiuden tnat would iiave to b© twine by the people of the Dominion m consequence oi the war, and said it was plain there must be increased production. The country must not overxook the fact that ithe apparent increase in exports during recent years had been due chiefly to high, prices. •When prices began to fall again the country would be an a difficult position unless production had been increased in th© meantime. He was entirely in accord with t>iie policy of securing expert advice for the Government in business matters. He had proved the great value of expert advice in his work as, Minister of Munitions and Supplies. The business men wko> had advised him had saved the country hundreds of thousands of pounds. No Minister could know enough to handle all the intricate prob--lemg that came before him without the advice of experts to guide him. , Mr Myers said the question of dumping had been brought under his notice as Minister of Customs, and a clause! dealing with the matter had been draft-1 ed fer submission to Parliament when! opportunity arose. The New Zealand tariff, added.Mr .Myers, was not suffici-^ ently elastic to meet the: rapidly chang-' ing conditions of trade and commerce.' Rectifications were required in many! directions, but, as matters stood, the : alteration's could riot sa't'isfaetorily ~:.l be;! made; except at the time of a general revision of the tariff. The Government had under consideration, a scheme by which, when it appeared advisable that the tariff on any article should be. altered, the matter couldbe referred to an advisory committee. On the recommendation of this committee the. Minister of Customs, with the approval of the. House of Representatives, would be able to modify the tariff in the direction deemed necessary. „ He believed some such scheme would be of great advant-' age to manufacturers in New Zealand-' and especially to those who were establishing new industries. I