IMPREGNABLE TARIFFS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1685, 15 June 1904, Page 38 (Supplement)

IMPREGNABLE TARIFFS.

“The prospects of British trade.” writes Mr Consul Warburton, in his report for 1903 on the district of Nantes, “are not improving, nor can they he expected to do so in the face of the exists ing protective duties, which are too high to allow of any hope of doing business at remunerative rates in any articles which are now made in France, and this means nearly everything for which thereis sufficient demand to render it worth while making it. It is admitted in most countries that there are no goods as good or better than British ones; they used to be sold everywhere when the tariffs were lower ; if they cannot be sold now it is because the increased duties, have made it imposible, and if they are to be sold again it will only be hy getting the tariffs reduced. Hundreds of instances could be given of the impossibility of competing against them, i have given many which came under my notice in past years, and only the other day I met with another that of British saddlery and harness, which used to be in great demand here, but mow is crushed out by the duty. A person at Nantes was anxious to get some ovei, but before doing so inquired at the customs as to the duty on double harness: the answer was 180 f. (over £7 per each set), which put an end to all dealing.