PASSING THE TARIFF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17955, 3 December 1921, Page 10

PASSING THE TARIFF.

HOUSE HARD AT WORK. AMENDMENTS DEFEATED. TAX ON FOREIGN SUGAR. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The House went into Committee once more this afternoon on the schedule to the Customs Bill. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, moved that the item mustard be placed on the free list under all headings. The amendment was lost by 48 votes to 13. Mr. Holland moved to p'ace almonds and nutij on the free list, snd tho duty was retained by 47 votes to 12. Mr. Holland moved to place 6alt on the free list, but the amendment wss lost on the voices. Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) moved that sugar be placed on tho free list under all headings. The Prime Minister said the per Jb. duty on foreign sugar was intended not to protect the Colonial Sugar Company, but to protect the contract which the Government had entered into with the company for the present year. If large Juantities of foreign sugar came into the dominion the Government might find a lot 0 f its purchase left on its hands. The contract would end on Juno 3 next, and would not be renewed if it were possible to avoid doing bo. There would then bo no need for the duty. Sugatr Contract Ends in June. The suggestion was made that a stipulation should be inserted in the Bill that the duty should not continue after June, but Mr. Masssy said this was not necessary, as the Government bad power to take off the duty if it thought it advisable to do so. Mr. Holland contended that the only effect of the duty would be to raise the price to the consumer. If it was a fact , that we were getting the cheapest sugar and the best 'in the world, what danger was there of cheaper sugar coming in and out-selling Government sugar. The Hon. E. P. Lee, Minister for Industries and Commerce, said the Government had entered into a contract with the Colonial Sugar Company to purchase about 60,000 tons of raw sugar in Fiji, which was refined in New Zealand. Whatever happened the Government must take that sugar, and if cheaper sugar came in then the taxpayer must bear the loss on the contract mado with the company. Tho duty did not affect ihe company in the slightest degree. In reply to a question, Mr. Lee said he did not think much cheaper sugar would come into New Zealand, but they must provide against a possible loss as the result of its admission. The duty was retained by 40 votes to 26. The Duty on Tobacco. On " tobacco, fino cut," Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) moved to reduce the duty from 10s per lb. to 3s 6d. The amendment was lost by 41 votes to 25. Mr. Holland moved that the duty " Tobacco cut, not elsewhere included,' be reduced from 4s lOd to 3s 6d. The amendment was lost by 38 votes to 26. On resuming in the evening Mr. Wilford moved to reduce the duty on " Tobacco, not elsewhere included," from . 4s 8d per lb. to 3s 6d. This was lost by 35 votes to 22. ' In the class covering spirits and alcoholic beverages, Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) moved to strike out the proposed rates (70s per gallon British preferential, 80s intermediate, 90s general) on perfumed spirits and Cologne water, with a view to restoring the old rate of 30s. He urged that these spirits were medicinal necessities. The Minister, replying, said the impost was not excessive on what was really a luxury. . ~ ~ Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thauw) said it was strange the protests only came from dealers. Doctors and hospitals had made no representations. He agreed the perfumed spirit might, in a small degree, be a necessity. It might, therefore, be put on an ad vaiorem basis. . After further discussion, Mr. Veiteh's , amendment was lost by 37 votes to 24. Mr. Parry moved to place acetic acid on the free list, and this was defeated ( by 47 votes to 15, the duty being retained. . Mr. Fraser moved to put disinfectants , on the free list, under the intermediate and general tariffs, as well as_ under the , British preferential tariff. This was de- . feated by 50 votes to 8. Oream of Tartar Altered. On the item cream of tartar, the Minis- ! tor moved an alteration to make it free under all tariffs, until December 31, 1922, after which the duties in the schedule should operate, viz., British preferential ; free, intermediate ten per cent, ad valorem, general twenty per cent. Mr. Sullivan moved an amendment that the item be permanently free under all tariffs. Tho Minister said this was.one of the few instance* in which the British Government had asked that encouragement be given to British manufacturers, who could meet all needs. After further discussion, Mr. Sullivan agreed to withdraw his amendment, and the item was passed. Mr. Holland moved that eucalyptus oil be free under all headings because it was an article necessary to the health of the people. The duty was retained by 50 votes to 9. Textiles and Drapery. In Class V. Mr. Holland moved that sewing cottons be free under all headings on the ground that sewing cotton was an article of daily household use, and the British manufacturers of it were among the worst profiteers in the world, as shown by the enormous profits they made during the war years. On a division, the duty on foreign cotton of 10 per cent, was retained by 44 votes to 11. Mr. Mitchell raised the question of the proposed duty of 20 per cent, on British textile piece goods when woven with a .pattern in continuous lengths. He drew attention to the concession granted to Japanese silks, and yet British piece goods were to be heavily taxed. He moved these goods be free under all headings. The Minister said this question of cotton pjece goods already had been one of the most difficult the department had to deal with, and tho schedule before the House was the result of an agreement arrived at after a long conference between drapers' representatives and customs officers. After considerable debate the duty was retained by 33 votes to 2L An amendment, introduced by the Prime Minister, that the Union Jack or any flag of which it formed a part be admitted free was adopted. Consideration of the item, fur felt hoods, was in progress at 1.40 a.m., and the indications wore that the House would probably sifc until the dawn.