THE NEW TARIFF.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 20902, 21 May 1887, Page 2

THE NEW TARIFF.

(Per Press Association.)

Dunedin, May 19.

A largely-attended meeting of importers and those interested in the tariff question was held in the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon, and the following resolution was carried almost unanimously : —Moved by Mr R. Wilson —That this meeting disapprove of the proposed alterations in the Customs tariff, which clearly indicate a policy of Protection, and are not consistent with the Treasurer’s avowal that they were made for revenue purposes; that this meeting expresses its opinion that duties required for revenue purposes should ho levied so as to fall equitably upon all classes of the community, and so as to disturb, as little as possible, the course of trade, while the proposed tariff is not based oil these principles. Moved by Cow —That in the opinion of this meeting no duty should be levied which is calculated absolutely to prohibit importation, and even where it may be deemed politic to combine encouragement of local industry with the raising of revenue, it is unwise to impose a higher duty than Id per cent ad valorem or its equivalent. Moved by Mr Brown—ln the opinion of this meeting the scheme of levying differential rates upon goods of the same class opens the door to fraudulent evasions of the duty, and should ho abolished, and that a simpler and moro uniform system of classification should he adopted, so as to reduce the labor to all concerned, and render more easy the collection of duty. Moved by Mr John Roberts—That all raw material used for the purposes of manufacturing in the Colony should lie admitted free. Mr James Allen moved —lhat this meeting considers the proposal to impose duty on certain implements, tools, pumps, etc., used in agricultural, pastoral, and mining industries, is burdensome and unfair to the industries, aud especially so in view of the fact that tools of trade used in other trades arc admitted free. •

Dunedin, May 20

Sir Julius Vogel rrpl es to the Chairman of Wednesday's meeting : —Tou stare the meeting war represen a'ire. May I be excuse*! for Hskin-r—represen t a?iv© of what ? Evidently persons wi h knowledge of trade and the exis ing tariff eould not have framed the resolutions. The first seems a purely political ona and forgive me for >ay in-' >lmuld rather bo submitted to a public than a private meeting i'lie second is prec scly what the new tariff combined with the ol I one d"es ; and appears to be extrac ed from u handbook on political economy. If that had effect given to it ti-e existing duties on be r, tobacco, spirit*, wines bbeui s candles, jams, and other articles producible in the Colony, besides tea and stigar, would have to be largely reduced. It is an obvious absurdity, and is demons rative of the fact that, thc-e subjects cmnot be dedt with by I lie fight of theoretical views nmy. The principle con'ended for i-i the four;lt rc-olution is adi pted to the utmost extent practicnbe, and the same remark applies to the fifth. The six!lt appears to be the resir f of not reading «o much of the old tariff as is left undisturbed by the new one.” Auckland, Mny 20.

At a meciing of eoaehbuddtre Inst » night, if. w-s resolved— That in the opinion of ilds meeting, the proposed alteration in tlie tariff i* detrimental to the carriage building trade of the Colony, ou llio grounds that while raw material bas been raised 5 to 20 per cent manufactured carriages have only been rHs* d u per cent ; omd that instead of the ad valorem duty om vehicles the duly should bo assessed in the direci ion of the Victorian tariff It was a'so ceiled that in the opinion of die meeting carriage requisi'es and all raw material squired by the trade should he mhnittid free of duty.

Mr Seed, of t.he Customs Department, telegraphs to Mr Trenwith. President of the Midland bootmakers’ Association : “ Vogel directs me to inform you that in die new Tatiff Bill a h ss duty will beimposed on leather than that in the reso ulion. He thinks this change will meet t.hc views of the trade.’’