NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9806, 29 April 1895, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Thr members of the Tariff Commission have had a large quantity of useless stuff poured into their ears during the time they have been engaged in taking evidence. Probably the most important evidence they have taken was that tendered on Thursday by Mr. Kirkbride and Mr. Hall, on behalf of the Auckland Agricultural Association. The deputation submitted that the heavy duties on articles in common use on farms materially increased the expenses of the farmer, and asked that machinery, tools, and appliances should be admitted free, as were artificers' tools, etc., now. Workers on the land were entitled to as much consideration as other workers, and they were nearly all working farmers here, hardly obtaining a living wage out of present produce values. They asked the concession because (Ist) their remuneration was lower than that of other workers and (2nd) the prosperity of the country depended almost entirely on the success of the farming industry. Mr. Kirkbride quoted from official statistics, showing that out of the total value of exports for 1893, £8,985,364, £6,559,486 was credited to agricultural products and produce. The shrinkage of the purchasing power of the farmers was shown by the decrease in value of agricultural exports from 1892 to 1893, viz., £629,831. Attention was drawn to the fact that produce values were nob dependent on New Zealand consumption, prices were fixed by what produce fetched in British and foreign markets. It was monstrous that farmers could nob purchase their requirements direct of the people who consumed the bulk of their produce without being taxed 20 or 25 per cent. The tariff was then quoted to show how many farm requisites were taxed. A few comparisons and incongruities were shown, such as : Tailors' shears free, sheep shears 20 per cent.; shoemakers' sole, heel, etc., knives free, and tailors' cutting knives free, hay knives 20 per cent, duty; grindstone fittings, opticians', free, grindstone fittings, common, 20 per cenb.; sails, as ship chandlery free, rick and waggon covers (canvas) 20 per cent., canvas horse covers 25 per cent., aprons and elevators, canvas for reapers 15 per cent. ; glasspaper free, this is used by carpenters and cabinetmakers, etc.; paper for printing purposes free, paper, oiled, for artists' use free, butter parchment paper 5s per cwt—this is the thing used by the dairy farmer.

The members of the deputation then went on to show that all kinds of wire, except the wire used by the farmer for fencing, comes into the country duty free. Wire rope, ditto galvanised for clothing lines, wire for apparel, wire for chair and sofa springs; wire gold for dentists' use, do. copper as electric appliances, even bottling wire is free, but iron wire for fencing pays Is per cwt. The value imported in 1893 was £49,000, and the duty amounted to £0000. Barbed wire is charged 2s per cwt; the value imported in 1893 was £24,000, duty, £3700. Then we have staples taxed 20 per cent., while bookbinders' staples are free. One of the first articles a settler purchases for clearing bush or fern land, is a billhook, and billhooks are taxed 20 per cent. Mattocks, maul rings, wedges, and reaping hooks, 20 per cent. Ploughs were free, yet strange anomaly the wearing parts, mould boards, shares, and breasts, are taxed 20 percent. Horse rakes and hand rakes 20 and 15 per cent.; plough lines 20 per cent. Yet information from leading saddlers was thab only English would sell. Carbs, drays, and waggons, chaff-cutters, corn-ehellers, and corn crushers, iron gates, straining posts, standards and harness, 20 per cent.; whips and thongs, 15 per cent.; binder twine, 15 per cent. This is made in New Zealand, and costs the farmer here4Jd per lb, while the same twine is retailed in Victoria at 3£d per lb. The ibwino manufacturers here actually charge outsiders 25 per cent, less than New 25ealand buyers—a kindly return for the protection allowed. Fruit-paring machines, ditto evaporators, 20 per cenb.; milk pans, 25 per cent; agricultural salt, 10s per cwt; kerosene, 6d per gallon. This last was a tax largely on country settlers. Wool-packs, 2s 6d per dozen, paid £4200 duty in 1893. The deputation protested strongly against any duty being placed on sheep dip, and against any increase of duty on articles used by settlers, and advocated a reduction of the presenb high duties. They urged that Customs duties to be equitable should be levied on goods used by all, and on luxuries. Encouragement of local industries conduced to the concenbra-

—, 1 ■ ' ■ !!■ j tiot} of population in the towns, and was more or less a bribe to induce men to choos* a more jrofitable occupation than that o[ tilling tie soil. Were .workers and manufactures in most) of the protected industries satisfied with relatively the same remuneration As farm workers and farmers had to be/atisSed with f many of the present heavy Auties could be reduced to a standard consistent with a revenue tariff only. They trust* that the gentlemen of the Commission aid the others associated with them in legislating for the future would see that the work pf the men who clear the land of the foreatand the fern, that the 'work of pro. ducinr beef and mutton, and butter and cheese, the growing of wheat and potatoes was as deserving of encouragement, and was as important as the work of any other industry. Attention was also drawn to the decrease year by year of the value of export) manufactures after the first year, in ISB9 of tariff assistance, £569,880, the value of exports in 1889; £345,636 being the amount fir 1893. This did not show great increase under the fostering influence of protection// '

A. Sb. Pejersburg journal, the Novoe Vremya, hasdiscovered thab the real cause of the war mfts nothing more nor less than a jealous etnspiracy of Western Europe against the ire-erainenb advantages certain to accrue tdßußsia from the energetic con. struction of her Siberian Railway. It wan considered; necessary to paralyse the success of ftis undertaking by the construction of a cteaper and more convenient and profitable railway through China. Such a railway, waen eventually joined with the lines of India aid Asia Minor, would tend to ruin the Hassan Siberian Railway by its many advantages. Japan was selected as the besb instrument for shaking up inert China aid forcing her to permit a more satisfactory exploitation of the country, which' would thus provide orders for the mills I and manufacturers of Western Europe. The war is simply the "prologue of the great international drama in Asia for . possession of a transib route between th» oceans washing the old world." Russia is, therefore, again advised to adopt the original plan of running the Amoor section of.the , Siberian railway across Manchuria, which would be a much shorter, cheaper, an 4 quicker route, while it would ab the sametime checkmate the inordinate pretensionsof Japan in thab region.

The position of atfairs in the far East is still attracting anxious attention in Europe. Russia is assuming a threatening attitude both towards Great Britain and Japan, ona Russian journal going so far as to hint that if England supports Japan India will suffer. The posiiion taken up by Russia is not proving altogether satisfactory to Germany, and several French newpapers are protesting against France being dragged at the heeis of Russia. They think a mistake has beoc made, and that France is losing the opportunityof securing an excellent footing in Japan. Further details of an interesting nature hare been received concerning the siege of the British garrison at Cbitral, and some instances of truly heroic conduct have been brought to light. The survivors give thrilling accounts of their experience?. The situation in Nicaragua is extremely critical. The guns of British warships cover Corinto, martial law has been proclaimed, and the telegraph wires are being cut. It seems that the Nicaraguans are inclined to offer resistance, but the landing of the British marines has been effected without opposition, the fticaraguan troops retiring on their approach. . The British have occupied the Customs and other public buildings. The latest news is to the effect that the people of Nicaragua have subscribed £20,000 towards the indemnity. The trial of Oscar Wilde has commenced. A fire in a Montreal tobacco factory resulted in a terrible 'scene. The workpeople, panic-stricken, blocked the means of exit, and a largo number jumped from thewindows, receiving terrible injuries. An alarming catastrophe is reported from France. A large reservoir bursb and flooded the whole neighbourhood. Farmhouses, bridges, and plantations were swept away, and whole villages destroyed. Altogether fifty persons were drowned, and many just managed to escape with their lives. Terrible distress prevails.