RECIPROCAL TARIFFS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15174, 13 December 1912, Page 8

RECIPROCAL TARIFFS.

RELATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA.

TENTATIVE PROPOSALS.

[BY TRLKKRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION'.]

CimiSTCHURCiT, -Thursday. A conference of delegates from the South Island Chambers of Commerce and the Grain, Seed, and Produce Merchants' Association to discuss the question of reciprocal trade between Australia and New Zealand opened this morning in the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Henry Wood, the chairman, ruled thai the decisions of the conference were for report only to the chambers concerned, and not at the present state to the Government.

Motions were unanimously agreed to that any complete or general measure of free trade between Australia and New Zealand is undesirable, and would not prove acceptable to either country. That nevertheless, in regard to the products of the soil, it is desirable to adopt a policy of reciprocity on the basis that any duties agreed on or imposed shall be such as to impose similar conditions upon and confer equal advantages to each country, and shall he sufficiently low not to press hardly on the consumer in times of scarcity in either country; that it shall be a condition precedent to the adoption of any tariff that, subject to reasonable Government inspection at the port of shipment, the Customs restrictions at the port of entry shall be such as will not cause unnecssaiy restraint of trade.

Recommendations agreed upon in regard to tariff alteration were as follows: — Wheat, per cental, present duties, New Zealand 9d, Australia Is 6d. proposed tariff 9d: oats, per cental 9d, Is 6d, 6d ; beans, per cental, New Zealand 9d, Australia Is 6d, new duty 9d : peas, per cental, New Zealand 9d, Australia Is 6d, new duty 9d ; maize, per cental, New Zealand, 9<l/ Australia Is 6d. new duty 9d; barley, per cental. New Zealand 2s. Australia 2s, new duty Is; }>otatoetf, per ton. New Zealand 20s, Australia 20s, new duty 10s ; chat!', per ton. New Zealand 20s, Australia 20s, new duty 10s ; onions, per ton, New Zealand 20#, Australia 20s, new duty 10s ; split peas, per cwt-.. New Zealand 2s, Australia 4s 8(1. new duty 2s; pearl barley, per cwt., New Zealand Is - . Australia 4s Bd, uew tariff 2s ; malt, per cental. Now Zealand ss, Australia 6s, new duty 2s. Regarding the duty on flour, which the conference first decided should be 30s per ton, and subsequently altered to the present rate of 20s. it was resolved: "That in connection with the proposed Hour dutv, provision he made that the present conditions in the New Zealand Act, providing for a combination in restraint of trade be upheld, subject to tho further provision that the Government in council will retain the right to increase the duty payable if it is proved that Australia is making a dumping ground of New Zealand." It was decided to recommend that when the tariff was being discussed chambers of. commerce should be asked to appoint an expert to confer with the New Zealand Minister in a consultative capacity.