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New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5628, 29 November 1879, Page 4

"SYe print elsewhere the new tariff in a form showing the present rates and the new and additional duties imposed. The Colonial Treasurer anticipates gaining £300,000 from the new scale of duties, and we think it likely that his estimate is pretty near the mark. The Auckland merchants are accepting the inevitable without much complaint, and the situation is perhaps softened to them by the fact that they had heavy stocks, which they are now clearing out at the rise. The theory of all these increases is that they are imposed for revenue purposes, bui-, in imposing them, the Colonial Treasurer is aided greatly by the fact that they will operate as strongly protective. He " holds a caudle to the devil." He is badgered on all hands to protect particular individuals or industries, and he complies with these requests under the plea that he must have more revenue. He is in a happy position. Chaff, which was formerly admitted free, is now charged 10s per ton. Wo presume the chief reason for imposing a duty on this article was to protect the locallyproduced chaff; for, supposing the duty to have been levied on the whole of the chafl' imported into New Zealand during 187S, it would only have amounted to £395. Nest we have corks, formerly admitted free, but now charged with 15 per cent. ad valorem. This will operate as a protection to our cork-cutters, or cork cutter, for we have only one in Auckland at all events. The value of the cork and corks imported in IS7S, was *5539. The duty on dried fruits i 3 raised Id to 2d per tb., and this simply means additional revenue. The duty received in 1873, at Id, amounted to £13,365, and probably the 2d duty will return £20,000. Fresh fruits, other than oranges, lemons, bananas,

and pineapples, are to be taxad 15 per cent. The value of green fruits imported last year amounted to £49,011. The duty will no doubt greatly reduce this, and operate as a protection to our local fruit growers. The duty on crown, sheet, and common window glass is raised from, from Is to 2s per 100 feet superficial, which, of course, is solely a revenue tax. The duty of 8d per lOOlbs. on maize will operate as a protection to the Canterbury and East Coast growers against imports from Sydney and Fiji, and will, to some extent, prevent vossels coining from these ports to Auckland. The increase on the duty on malt from Is (id to 2s per bushel will benefit the Southern producer,andthe JTelson hop-growers will be secured from the competition of Californian hops by the raising of the duty from 3d to Gd per lb. The amount realised last year from the hop duty was £4204, but probably the doubling of the duty will decrease the amount received to one-half. Iron fencing wire was formerly admitted duty free, but it is now loaded with 20s per ton. The Colonial Treasurer seems to have no mercy upon those who use perfumery and perfumed spirits and Cologne water. Perfumery he has raised from 10 per cent, to 25 per cent, ad lydorem, and perfumed spirits and Cologne water from 12s to 21s per gallon. To show how this operates., we may mention that we were informed yesterday by an Auckland merchant that on Cologne water which had cost £50 10h, he had Daid dutv .to ...«"> ~i»»~»«*~t-°£-je33. 100. TTu nave to Tie thankful that cau-de-cologne is not a necessary of life. Patent medicines, which used to'be admitted at 10 per cent., is now taxed 25 per cent., and this at all events will fall heaviest on- the poorer classes, who, in default of the orthodox medical attendant, doctor themselves with Holloway's pills or JDavis's painkiller. The duties upon timber, shingles, palings, posts, and rails are, of course, all in favour of an industry largely carried on in this province. 203 per ton is put upon salt, which we presume to have been put on simpty for revenue purposes, as no salt is made here. The chief gain to the revenue will be on ad valorem goods, the duty on which is increased from 10 per cent, to 15 per cent. The new tariff will make an appreciable difference in the cost of living.