CAPT. RUSHWORTH.

Northland Age, Volume II, Issue 33, 20 August 1930, Page 7

CAPT. RUSHWORTH.

ON THE CUSTOMS TARIFF '"INCREASES. Capt. Rushworth (Bay of 19lands) : T want to give utterance to a most emphatic protest against these regulations now before the House. 1 am rather distressed at the total and cynical disregard for the dire necessities ot the exporting working farmers of this Dominion. It should be common knowledge that during the last six months the net income of the exporters of this country has been reduced by no less a sum than £8,000,000. Their necessities are dire and their claim for a reduction of indirect taxation, which is so heavily burdening them, shrieks to high Heaven. What is being done ? The past Reform Government placed additional duties on ploughs, harrows, discs, manure distributors and other farm implements, and the New Government pledged to reduce costs by reducing indirect taxation, adds to these duties. I will refer to two items by way of illustration of the effect of the additional duties proposed to be imposed. Let us consider the proposed increase in the duty on clothing. Does anybody in his sense imagine that that will not result in increased wages, increased commissions, increased profits, increased fees and increased freights? Does anyone imagine that that increase will not be addded to the all-too-heavy burden which the exporting primary producers are called upon to bear ? The Prime Minister’s complacent statement that additional import duties on onions or similar commodities counterbalances the other taxes, is simply absurd. It is the New Zealand exporter who is being penalised. The burden on the exporter is becoming intolerable, and some relief simply must be given. The Prime Minister has intimated that he is prepared to receive suggestions between now and the time when the Bill to implement these proposals will be brought down, and I sincerely hope that he will take time by the forelock and reduce the burden on the primary producers. The extra duty on timber alone will have a tremendous effect on the exporting primary producers, and the cumulative result of the inevitable increase in the price of timber will fall heavily on the exporter through the passing on machinery of *other sections of the community. Perhaps I would not object so much to an increase in the price <■ ot timber it I were fortunate enough to possess shares in the cement combine. The cemerrt industry is going to gain as a result ot the increase in the duty on timber. Already the price of timber is such that substitutes are forced to the market. When the last tariff revision took place in 1927, representatives of the timber industry undertook not to increase the price of timber. It is true that timber prices wer# not immediately increased, but timber has been regraded since then, and that has had the same effect as an increase in price. I that the price of timber h-as been increased in spite of the definite undertaking given by properly accredited representatives of the timber industry. I wish to warn the Prime Minister that have reached a stage whese <Jbe exporting primary producers this 1, country are not content to be played with any longer The time has come when their burdens of rates and taxation must be reduced and not increased.