TARIFF REVISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 5

TARIFF REVISION.

VIEWS OF WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION*.] Wellington", Friday. Some tinie ago the Wellington Chamber of Commerce set 'up.' a tariff committee consisting of a number of sub-committees, with instructions to report on the question of tariff revision, in view of the Premier's statement that the subject will be dealt with by the House of Representatives next session. The several sections of the committee reported as follows, and .suggestions made 'have been adopted by the council of the Chamber: — Maizena and cornflour: Duty to be removed. Dried fruits: Removed. Onions: Removed. Potatoes: Should the duty be considered necessary, it should be specific and not ad valorem, not exceeding, say, 20s per ton. Sugar: Recommended entile remission, but it' duty considered necessary, to be not more than 2s 'Id per cut. Tea: Weight of packages subject to 2d per lb duty should lie increased to 101b. Tobacco: Duty to be retained. Cream of tartar: Recommend preferential duty be abolished. Prepared barley: To be admitted free. Paraffin wax: Duty might be removed, or abolished. Matches: Duty to be equalised. Split pens: Should bo the same as pearl barley (1-- per cwt.). Valencia almonds: Should be free. Was paper for cigarette making should be free. In dealing with soi'tgoods the committee say: "We have found it most difficult to go into detail, as, although we have given some considerable time to its discussion, we found that so many of the items overlapped one another, that it would be almost impossible to make a comprehensive report at this time, and we have thought that the most feasible plan would be to suggest to the Government that when the time arrives for revision of the tariff, itwould be a wise procedure if they asked some three or four members of the particular trade to be present, and give any necessary information or suggestions to a Parliamentary committee, which might bo set up to go into the matter. Our ideas, however, are that in forming a new tariff, one of the main points should bo to make it of as simple a form as possible, and that many of the duties should be of a more uniform character than at present, and not consist of. so many enumerated items." The committee deal at some length with suggestions under the above heading. As to hardware, the committee say: Hoopiron and pigiron should be under preferential tariff. Wood blocks (ship chandlery) should be free. Iron blocks should also be free. Sails should be 20 per cent., and should come under preferential rates, also tarpaulins, tents, etc. -Keen's cement should be classified ,as. plaster of Paris, and admitted free. Horse-ciippers should be free. Imitation colga oil should be 6d per gallon, same as colza. Range knobs and ventilators, riddle bottoms, lumber, pencils, .sculls, forcings for ploughs, surveyors' chains', windmills, garden shears, garden tools, etc., should be' free. As to drugs, horse and sheep drenches should be 15 per cent., tincture and medicinal spirits of any recognised ' pha.rmaccepia containing more than 50 per cent, proof spirit should be reduced- to 6d per lb; less than 50.per cent, be increased to 9d per lb. Maltilie should pay 15 per cent. Soy should be free. Surgeons' and hospital aseptic cabinets should bo free. Acetic acid: To encourage manufacture or importation of more wholesome pure mailt vinegar, the duty on acetic acid might well be raised 100 per cent. Bicarbonate of soda duty, should, be remitted. Tartaric acid (present duty Id per lb),, citric acid (15 per cent, ad valorem) the duty on both should be the same. The committee go oil to say, " We wish to take this opportunity to ask the chamber to impress upon the Minister for Customs the urgent necessity of bringing down at the earliest possible date a Bill dealing •with the handling of methylated spirits. The . Commissioners' decisions made from time to time are somewhat erratic. We consider that before coming to a decision he should seek advice from a recognised expert in the particular trade, to which end we would suggest the appointment of an expert, not necessarily a paid one.". As to- dairy produce, -the committee say: " Probably the only difficulty has been that machinery imported for the above purpose has not been sufficiently nor clearly defined by statute. We are, therefore, of opinion that in any proposed revision of the present Customs tariff there should bo no increase in the duty now charged on machinery specially imported for dairying purposes, and no alteration except in the direction of more clearly defining the interpretation of the Customs Tariff Act." The following recommendation is added by the full Tariff ' Committee: The several sections of your committee recommend that the Government should be asked to appoint an advisory board of experts, representing the different branches of trade to assist the Commissioner in arriving at his decisions.