SPECIAL INTERVIEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11857, 8 January 1902, Page 3

SPECIAL INTERVIEWS

AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLITICS. 'TEWS OF A PROMINENT SENATOR. NEW ZEALAND AND THE TARIFF. ;

A Hebild reporter had an interview yesterday with Mr. B. W. Best, Chairman of ; Committees of the Australian Federal Senate, who is at present on a holiday visit to Auckland. As Mr. Best is from his position well qualified to speak on Federal politics, our re- ; porter opened the conversation by asking .him; to give his opinion as to the probable out-, come of the fight over the Federal tariff. , Mr. Best, in reply, 'said:. "The tariff has now undergone some two months revision in the House Representatives, and many substantial alterations have, already _ been, made, the general tendency, being in the direction of a reduction of duties It is calculated to average something like hi jis per bead of the population, and to produce somethi?ng^etWeL £3,500,000 and £9,000,000 .In Victoria the tariff, of which 1 was, the: author attempted.to tax only some £6,000,000 ° £ f imports, out of the total import.of £18 000,000. We had consequently, an enormous free list, the effect of it being to make •our: Customs taxation very considerably below the general average for the several colonies It probably will be disappointing to many that while the free list of Victoria was equal to something like £12,000,000 the free list for the whole of Australia, will bo considerably under £10,000,000, the .reason bein that for the purposes of revenue a very largo proportion of items originally free to most of Australia will have to be taxed. The House of Representatives meets again on January 14, and the Senate meets on January 22. > It is contemplated that the tariff will take at least a month or six weeks further, when it will be sent to the .Senate and, speaking frankly there will -be, so- far Mil can judge, a tendency in the Senate to decrease rather than increase duties. I tmnk the ultimate outcome will be the production of a tariff which will immediately fit the conditions of Australia. The.tariff is necessarily causing serious disruption of trade ana commerce at the present time, and dislocation of finance, so far as the States are concerned, and will certainly involve a readjustment of taxation in regard. to at least three or four of these States. The benefit of intercolonial free trade resultant on the introduction of a uniform tariff has, however, already been received with the utmost satisfaction in Australia, and I am confident that time will demonstrate the value of these advantages by the extension of the union to include New Zealand." ... -.„ "Have you formed any opinion as to bow the tariff will affect New Zealand? ""I regret to say that as was contemplated the tariff will necessarily affect New Zealand in several branches, and already JNew Zealand has felt the effects of its introduction While it was possible, while we were individual States in Australia, Victoria at alb events, gave- substantial relief to New Zealand so far as her cereals were concerned,, but now we are unable to do so. This was brought about by the operation of what during my five and a-half years term of office- as Minister for Customs, WW known as ' manufacturing in bond,' whereby New Zealand cereals were introduced without payment of duty 'manufactured in bond, and then supplied to the markets of the other : States where no duty was charged on the product. Now that is impossible, and New Zealand is feeling the effect of it." . "Is there any prospect of a reciprocity treaty between New Zealand and the Commonwealth?" -..■'. n : "I am aware that reciprocity treaties have been suggested, but I think , the prospect is not particularly hopeful, because there are but a limited number of articles that could be protected in the interests of the farming community, and most of the imports to Australia from New Zealand would corno within that category, and the farming representatives in tho Federal House of Representatives I know are particularly jealous in that regard;" ; "Is the Federal Constitution proving on experience a satisfactory one?" :' "I may say that so far many valuable machinery Bills have been introduced and passed, and the Commonwealth is to be congratulated on the splendid progress made in initiating the Commonwealth machinery) and in combating the difficulties incidental to the inception of a Federal union. It would be idle to say there has been no room, for dissatisfaction because history conclusively shows that troubles and'difficulties are necessarily incidental, to such radical constitutional alterations. But these things were foreseen, and are accepted as matters of course by true Unionists, and in Australia there is nothing of.such a character as to give cause for alarm." . -• : ' :...- ■ "I see," queried our reporter, "there has been ■ some difficulty about sending another contingent from Australia to South Africa?" " "Yes," said Mr. Best, "in regard to that I may say that I am an Imperialist in my convictions, and was a member for five years and a-half of the Government that sent the First Victorian. Contingent. We have reason to bo proud of the action we took, as members of the Empire, in that regard, and your question gives me an opportunity of congratulating the Government of 'New Zealand on the promptitude with .which they took occasion by the hand, anticipating Continental tne«rs, to demonstrate "the strong Imperialist feeling of these parts'. I was disappointed that Mr. Barton-was not similarly, prompt, but he appears, to me to be now making every effort to rectify what I regarded as only a mistake on his part." Mr. Best, who is now residing with Major Holgate, at St. Heliers Bay, says he has been much struck with the kindnesses he has received from his numerous New Zealand friends since he came to the colony, and he had been much delighted to once more witness the glorious .scenic beauties of New Zealand. He remains in Auckland till Monday next, leaving by the Warrimoo for Melbourne, via Sydney. .