NEW ZEALAND AND FIJI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7646, 25 May 1886, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND AND FIJI.

THE RECIPROCITY PROPOSALS. 1 Th* following are the terms of the proposed Reciprocity Treaty submitted by the delegates from the Government of Now Zealand to the Government of Fiji table a. List of articles, the produce or manufacture of New Zealand, which it is proposed should'te admitted into Fiji on the terms specified below.

TABLE B. List of article*, the produce or manufacture of Fiji, which it Is proposed should be admitted into New Zoaland on the terms specified below. To be admitted Duty Free —Copra, cotton, wool, candlenuts, while oil, peanu s and all nuts for manufacture? purposes, all fresh fruits, oranges, lemons, pineapples, arrowroot. To be admitted at Half the Current Rate of Duty. —Unrefined sugar, unmanufactured tobacco (the same to be subject to exclso duty when manufacture'! in New Zealand), coffee (raw, tea, (iinif<r and all ►pices, desiccated cocoauut*, all preserved fruits, fungus, cocoanut fibre, coiton seeds, llmejuice. dried b'nanas, cocoa, unmanufactured sarsipariiia, maizo, olive*.

From the correspondence on the subject we extract the following The Hon. Colonial Secretary, to the Commissioner of Trade and Customs : " The proposals from the Government of New Zealand are, as they now stand, unacceptable on the following grounds : (a) They do not, in the opinion of this Government, present, as between New Zealand and Fiji, that mutuality of advantage which the Government of New Zealand supposes, (b) This Government would not, as the proposals would seem to require, be inclined to enter into any arrangement with New Zealand that would in any way affect the unrestricted right of this colony to enter into similar arrangements with others of the Australian colonies, so long as the terms offered by Fiji to those colonies were not more favourable than those given to New Zealand. (c) They appear to require the imposition by this colony, of high differential duties on many imports from Australia, although the amount of trade between Australia and Fiji is in round numbers about live times as great as the trade between New Zealand and Fiji, (d) The adoption of such a principle by the Government would not unnaturally provoke a feeling of hostility with our present principal commercial connection, and would, moreover, upset and derange the fiscal system of this colony at a moment when it is but ill prepared to venture on any experi mental course. Speaking broadly, however, this Government would in all probability be prepared to admit free of duty all farm, dairy, and agricultural produce being the actual productions of New Zealand ; its fruits, fresh or preserved; its meats or fishes, frozen, salted, or tinned ; breadstuffs ; its timber, rough or dressed. On the other hand, it would be expected that New Zealand hould admit free of duty all articles oxported thither from Fiji not now dutiable, together with maize and maizeua, unmanufactured tobacco, and all fruits, fresh or preserved ; and sugar, tea, and coffoe, at such a reduced rate on the then existing tariff of New Zealand as may be agreed to by the two Governments, upon a mutual consideration of the whole subject."

The following is an extract from a letter addressed by His Honor the Administrator to the Governor of New Zealand:—"l regret to add that my Government does not find the proposals submitted by Messrs, Moss and Seed acceptable ; but, with the object of promoting commerce between the two colonies, it is ready to make a counter proposal, and to send to New Zealand a member of the Government to discuss the project with your Executive Ministers. It is hardly necessary for me to observe that any arrangement made would, as regards Fiji, be subject to the approval of Her Majesty's Government." The Suva Times Bays The following has been forwarded to the signatories to the petition in favour of establishing reciprocal commercial relations with New Zealand. We understand that the commission iB to consist of two officials, one commercial man from Suva and one from Levuka, one planter (large), and one small. Their deliberations are to take place at Suva, and will commence on the 20th instant-. —"Colonial Secretary's Office, April 21, 1886. Gentlemen,—l have the honour to acknowledge the. receipt of your petition, dated April 14, ISS6, which has received His Honor's careful consideration. In reply,. 1 am to inform you that His Honor, without expressing any opinion as to the commercial treaty proposed <,by . New ..Zealand, • has much pleasure In informing you that it is his intention to appoint a commission to inquire into and report upon the question generally of reciprocity with neighbouring colonies. The report of such committee will be transmitted for the consideration of Hfer Majesty's Government, without whose previous concurrence no treaty of the nature proposed oould be entered into by this colony. In the meantime His Honor desires you to acoept his assurance that the commercial interests of the colony are receiving his constant and earnest attention. I have, etc,, Wm. McGregor, Acting Colonial Secretary."

Similar articles from other To be Admitted Duty Free, countries not to be charged lower than jErated and Mineral Waters ... ~ 15 per otnt. Agricultural Implements ■ -. — '5 per cent. Animals free Bacon and Hams .. .» ... 2d per lb Beef and Pork, salted - 2s 6rJ per cwt Biscuit* Jrt per lb Boots and Shoes .. — — 15 per cent. Books and Printed Papers «. — free Bricks, Lime, and Cement — •• 15 per cent. Butter. Cheese, and Lard .. — 2d per lb Bullion .. _ .. .. .. Froa Candles •• 2d per lb Coals .. Free Cordage, Hops, and Twin# — — 5s por cwt Drain-pipes and Tiles .. •• — 15 per cent. Flour ... .. Is per 1001b Fruits and Vegetables, dried, tinned, and preserved ., .. .. 15 per cent. Furniture and Upholstery .. .. 16 par cent. Machinery of all kinds for manufacturing purposes; Boilers, Engines, and parts thereof 10 per cent. Manures of all kinds Free Plants, Trees, Shrubs, and Seeds .. Froe Potatoes and Vegetables of all kinds, raw ... .. _ .. free Tallow .. .. „ „ „ 8s per cwt Timber, Sawn, rough .. .. .. Is par 100 feet Timber, Sawn, dressed ... _ 2) por 100 feet Timber, Shingles and Laths .. ... Is par 1000 Timber, Pilings ., „ „ Is per 100 Timber, Posts .. 4* per 100 Timber, Halls „ — .. .. 2s per 100 Similar arlic'es Articles to be admitted at Half the c 'untrle'i'not Current Kates of Duty. to be charged lower than Apparel 10 per co ,- Heor, Ale, and P' rler. in bulk ... Is per gal. Boer, Ale, and Porter, in bottle .. In (id per gal. Boats .. - 15 por cent. confectionery .. ... — ... 15 per cent. Doors 3s each Drugs and Apothecarios' Wares ... 10 per cent. Earthenware -.15 por cent. Fencing Wire -2s per cwt Fiah, fresh, dried, or salted .. _ Id per lb Fish, tinned or proserved .» .. li'l P« r lb Grain and Pulse Is 100lb Jams. Jellies, Marmalades, and Preserves .. .. .. .. - lid per lb Leather, and all manufactures of leather not otherwise enumerated 15 per cent. Meats, frozen .. .. — ... id per lb Meats, tinned or preserved ... -. Id per lb Oil. all kinds .. ... ... .. 15 per cent. Pickles and Sauces 1" doz - P !nts Sashes .. .. - .. - per pair Soap 2d per lb Manufactures of wood not otherwise enumerated, or of wood and metal or other materials .. .. 15 per cent. Woollens, and Woollen manufactures. and textile fabrics of Wool mizod with other # uiaterlals .. 15 per cent.