THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE TARIFF.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 849, 8 June 1888, Page 31

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE TARIFF.

A special general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held last Friday afternoon. There were about 30 members present, and the President (Mr J. H. Cock) occupied the chair. He explained that the meeting had been called at the request of a number of the members, in order that they might have au opportunity of considering the tariff and the financial proposals of the Government. The meeting had not been called in the interests of any set or party, whether Freetrade or Protectionist—(hear, hear) —but purely to consider the tariff. He was sorry that longer notice had not been given, as he was afraid that man} of them had hardly had sufficient time to fully digest the proposals or to make up their minds with regard to them. He would have liked to combine the meeting with their quarterly meeting to be held next week, but it was urged that a good deal of the effect of auy action they might take would be lost if they postponed the matter, inasmuch as the dis. mission in the House on that subject was to begin that evening. He would throw; the meeting open at once, and he invited the members present to express their opinion on tile subjects he had mentioned.

Mr J. Lachman asked if lie was entitled to speak on any single item in the tariff. The President thought, before they went into the question of detail, that they should decide, it possible, the broad aspect of the question. Mr T. K. Macdonald asked if the Council of tho Chamber had any resolution to submit to tho meeting. Ho suggested that it was quite impossible throw the tariff or Financial Statement on tho mooting for discussion. If the Council had anything to submit, then let them put it before the meeting at ouco. The President said the Council had met that afternoon shortly before the meeting, but there had been a considerable amount of hesitancy in dealing with the subject, as it was so largo and many-sided. However, the general feeling of the Council was that tho following resolution should bo submitted : “That it is not-advisable t> discuss tho details of tho tariff until the House has dotermined whether it is possible to do without extra taxation. That while not admitting tlio necessity of additional taxation this Chamber is of opinion that the tariff shouid not be amended in tho direction proposed, as if. raised so many complicated issues. That the Chamber believes that saving can be effected in the coat of education and the better management of tho railways which will render further taxation unue; e3sary. That the proposed 1 per cent, primage duty is a moat vexatious impost and will give needless trouble to importers and Customs

officials chit' of ail proportion to the money to» be He formally moved that s't ha adopted, Mr J. Dranafield asked the President if he had got anything tAsay in snpporfe ot it. Mr E. W. Mills seconded tho motion.

Mr Macdonald raised a point of order, and* quoted the Articles of Association to show that the constitution of the Chamber was sole!}* fsrt? commercial objects, and that as it comprised amongst its members persons of all political- opinions, all questions of party politics/ general or local, should be excluded from discussion. He asked, in the face of that, could tfe'e' Chamber discuss taxation, education, and oSfeer matters, as contained iu the resolution.

The President said In? was clearly o? opinion that it was competent- for them tc* discuss the tariff.

Replying to Mr Duthie, Mr Macdonald sUi'cf he objected to the resolution as a whole,, and' h*e did so in accordance with the Standing Orders Of- the Chamber. The President said, as far as he could see,there was nothing-'out of order, Mr Macdonald asked that a. note should be taken of the point lie had raised, anti tho tho President’s reply, as he would fianvi something to say about it at the quarterly meeting.Mr D’u’thio Said that, as nobody seemed inclined to smy anything about the reaqluticn, he supposed he would have to “bel3 the cat.” He e»Visidorcd that the motion was a move in the right direction. He thought, that they were doing a) public duty by opposing this tariff, and at the outset they should declare that further taxation was nob necessaryq and moreover they should resist, it. Once it was put on it was never takers off. He considered that the economy recom» mended by the Premier could be effected by a reduction in the education vote and ether matters. On that alone a saving could foe made of £60,000 by raising the school age ter 7 years. He was also of opinion that, if the Government appointed railway commissioners and gave them full authority over the railways, a saving of £IOO,OOO a year could be effected in the working expenses. In that state of things ho did not see that any additional taxation wr.3 called for, and they should set their faces against it. The Colony was in a depressed state, and any further taxation would tell very much on its future prosperity. The tariff proposals were of a most complicated nature, as they actecS and reacted in many instances. Referring to the primage duty, he said the devil in.hi» most idle moments could not have invented a more vexatious thing. Mr J. Lachman supported the motion. He thought the tariff a most extraordinary affair, to say the least of it ; and it was quite evident, whoever framed it, knew nothing about business. 'Hear, hear.) Thero was one single item he would allude to, that of jewellery, plated-ware and clocks. Over £50,000 worth of these goods had been imported during tho last twelve months', and yet they were untouched, This was an item that clear! y could be taxed without the slightest hurt to the working man, but on an article like vestas, which everybody used, a duty of 2s was imposed. Mr Donaldson said it appeared to him that the resolution was rather weak, as it stated in. the first clause that it was not advisable to go into tho matter yet, in the fourth clause it recommended that certain changes should be made to render further taxation unnecessary. Ho thought it would be strengthened by starting with tho assertion that the changes should be made. He would also suggest that defence be included, as he c insidered that was a matter upon which a great deal ol'money was being thrown away. But for the weakness he had pointed out he considered the motion a good one.

Tho President said he understood that the financial debate iu the House would not come on till Tuesday next, and he therefore thought that further consideration of the matter by the Chamber could bo postponed until the quarterly meeting on-Friday. The members would have more time to consider it then.

Mr J. Drausfield said ho must certainly congratulate the gentlemen who had moved in this matter on their unpreparedness. It seemed to him a remarkable thing that the Chairman should move a resolution without saying a word in favor ot it, in fact, he had been very much startled by the whole discussion. He very much hoped, if an adjournment was granted, that the promoters of the movement would couie better prepared next rime. Mr E. W. Mills, in reply to the last speaker, admitted that the Council had not had time to consider the matter thoroughly. They had only met three-quarters of an hour before the general meeting was held, and after talking the matter over had ue. cided on the resolution which had been presented. He went on to say that it was monstrous that they should have to pay such a large sum for education. He considered that economy could bo effected with regard to the railways. Ho was one of those who considered that the Government required money, but ho considered their tariff proposals monstrous. If they had put a tax of a halfpenny on sugar they would have done a very wise thing. He was of opinion that tho tariff would cause a lot of trouble without briugiog auy good results.

Mr Macdonald said he was very sorry to seo this discussion, and he considered that the Council were very much to blame in bringing down a resolution of such a drastic kind without saying mere about it. They, however, had learned something,, and that was that tho members of the Chamber of •Commerce were to sit in judgment on the political party in power. He asserted that was an attempt to pass judgment upon tho policy—tho general policy of the Ministry having charge of the government of this , couutiy. (No, ruv at.d hear, bear.) Ha was sorry for those gentlemen who said no. their reasoning must be very limited. Well might < Sir Harry Atkinson say, “ Save me from my friends !" H e thought he was safe in saying that the gentlemen who had taken part in drafting this resolution were the active supporters of members who were returned pledged to the Atkinson party. Mi Donaldson asked if Mr Macdonald was not infringing the very rule to which he had objected. That geutlemau’s remarks were evidently out of order, because they were of a political nature.

The President, however, ruled that Mr Macdonald was in order. Mr Macdonald said ho wished to record bis protest against the proposal, as he did not wish it go forth to the public that he was in accord with those members of the' Chamber who were opposing the policy db the Government in respect to education and the tariff. If there was one thing that the great body of taxpayers in this country should demand, it was that they should have free education for their children, and he desired to dissent from the proposal that children should not be sent to school until they reached the age of 7. The President pointed out that Mr Maodonalct was going beyond tho question now.

Mr Macdonald said the expense to the State was not.caused through tho infant schools, but through the secoudry achools. He maintained that the N workingman should receive a fair share of the taxation to which he so largely contributed.,. He went on to say that this country must pay its way, and tho onus was .upon those who said that the money required could not be raised through the Customhouse, of pointing out another way to raise it. The tariff had been condemned as a Protection one, although the Ministry that gave it was a Freetrade one. Mr C. F. Richardson thought tho proper course would be to adjourn the discussion'; and he moved, as an amendment, that further consideration ot the matter be postponed until next Tuesday. Mr Gardner seconded the amendment. At the -suggestion of the President, the mover of tho amendment altered the date of the adjournment until Friday. Mr Duthie said although he was not responsible for the motion, he did not consider that it was weak and ill-considered. After further discussion tho amendment was put and lost. The motion was then put and carried, Mr Macdonald being the only dissentient. Only about a dozen members voted. The meeting then terminated.