ALL WOOL AND "SHODDY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12662, 16 September 1904, Page 4

ALL WOOL AND "SHODDY."

The protest which is being; made against any increase in the existing import duty upon what are termed " shoddy" goods is deserving of public as well as Parliamentary consideration. The woollen mills of the colony manufacture a most creditable class of fabric, which is certainly unexcelled and probably unequalled by the manufacturing establishments of any part of the world. Unfortunately, the lower cost of production in the United Kingdom and the high tariff levied by the United States handicap them m markets where the climate favours their sale, so that our mills are confined to the supply of the local market. It is urged that if " shoddy" were further handicapped in the local markets by an increase of the present duty of 22 per cent, levied by our Cus-toms-houses our colonial mills would be greatly advantaged. We doubt if it is possible to so increase the duty as to make good the exceedingly great difference between the local and the imported article. If it were possible, who would pay? Shoddy" is a very vague and very unsatisfactory term. It includes stuff which is comparatively worthless and stuff which is exceedingly good and shown to be desirable by the constant and popular demand. Many classes of fabric which afn not "all wool," or which are partially composed of remanufactured wool, entirely suit the needs of the community at large. They are not merely " cheap." They are economical in the real meaning of the word. They are what the public irequires for a great variety of dress and other purposes, where expense has to be considered as it has by the great majority of the people of these islands. To increase the duty upon them is to raise their cost to the purchasers. And the purchasers are the poor at all times, and frequently those more comfortably situated. For the poor must always buy the cheaper clothings and blanketings, and all but the very rich must study economy and buy the cheaper class of fabric when it is equally useful. This rule will continue unaltered even though the duty on "shoddy" were increased. .Some slight gain might result to the woollen mills, but at a high cost to the poor and to the general public, which would be utterly disproportionate to the trivial results. It is easy enough for Parliament to add a few shillings to the cost of every cheaper suit of clothes, of every cheaper dress, of every cheaper blanket, but is it wise or humane to do so Wc already tax ourselves heavily for the sake of our woollen mills, for 22 per cent, is no nominal encouragement, and is already paid by every purchaser. It is inadvisable to burden ourselves further for industries which are not sufficiently assisted by such generous encouragement and it is altogether bad policy to tinker with the tariff whenever- any; class of producers

claim that it. would be to their advantage to do so. , For whenever Parliament increases the tariff, to any perceptible extent the public .speedily finds' that it has to pay down hard cash for the increase.