TARIFF TROUBLES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 59

TARIFF TROUBLES

">« ■—- COMPLAINT OP LOCAL BODIES. HON. J. A. MILLAR EXPLAINS SOME INCREASES. With the object of securing relief from Borne of the new Customs duties which will impose a heavier burden upoji municipalities carrying out large public undertakings requiring the importation of material, a representative deputation of Wellington citizens interviewed the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Customs) on Tuesday. The deputation comprised the Hon. T. W. Hislop (Mayor of Wellington), Mr P. M. B. Fisher, M.H.R., Councillors J. Murdoch, W. H. Morrah, W. Hales, T. Carmichael, F. Cohen, J. P. Luke, J. Smith, and G. Shirtcliffe, with the City Engineer (Mr Morton), the Town Clerk (Mr J. R. Palmer). Messrs C. J. Bolton (Mayor of Eastbourne), C. Crawford (Mayor of Miramar), J. W. HoEwan (Mayor of Petone), and A. Peterkin (Mayor of Lower Hutt). The Mayor of Wellington explained that the deputation was for the purpose of showing the disabilities under which local bodies would 'labour under the revised tariff. Wellington was spending ,£BO,OOO in connection with waterworks extension, and if cast-iron pipes were used it -would mean that <£12,000 of borrowed money would have to be paid to the Government in duty, a payment ■which he thought the Minister would admit was not sound finance. The duty upon electrical plant, formerly 10 per cent., was now increased to 20 per cent. An expenditure of ,£26,200 was being incurred upon clectrical 'piant by the city, which would in consequence have to pay the State ,£2600 in duty, again out of borrowed money. A large quantity ol material was annually imported for use in connection with the tramways and lighting scheme, and ho hoped the Government would help to cheapen these services as much as possible by reducing the duties.

Mr Crawford (Mayor of Miramar) stated that the extra expenditure upon imported materials for the borougn drainage scheme, owing to the new imposts, would amount to <£soo. - He submitted that sufficient advantage was given n local manufacturers by the cost of freigh for the imported article. Councillor Luke stated that a 20 per cent, duty was not sufficient protection to induce manufacturers to put down pipe-casting foundries in the colony. The same ■argument applied to electrical manufactures. If the Government assisted the working of the Parapara iron deposits by means of a bonus, it might be possible to cheaply produce cast-iron pipes in New Zealand. Mr Peterkin (Mayor of Lower Hutt) took a "different view from that of the Mayor of Wellington. He suggested that if the locally-made steel-pipe was adopted by the city it would benefit colonial labour to a greater extent than the ,£12,000 duty. GOVERNMENT'S TARIFF POLICY. The Hon. J. A. Millar, in reply, said that he'would have liked to hear what the saving in dutv would be by the placing of pipes under six mAieo m tL~ r |fr hislop: About <£loo a year to the C 1 Continuing, the Minister said the policy of the Government was to find work for the people here, and in fostering the pipe industry they did so with a ]aiow rledge that the Mephan-Ferguson lockingbar pine made in New Zealand was being used in the largest waterworks ■ scheme in the colon}* —viz.,. at Auckland. Heavy pipes had been cast in the colony, and were used for the Waipori power scheme. The policy of the Government was to offer facilities to our lads to be trained in the different industries, instead of having to go outside the colony for their training. They wanted to foster those industries without injuring the primary one, agxiculture. While he v/as "willing to do 'all he possibly could in remitting the depul ation should remember that remissions already amounted to <£370,000, though the levenue from increased duties would be only ,£132,000. It was not possible for the Government to sacrifice any more revenue. Of course, he was willing to reconsider the matter, but the policy of the Government in endeavouring to foster local industries would not be departed from. (Hear. Pear.) ELECTRICITY v. STEAM. Dealing with the remarks made about the doubling of the duty on imported electrical appliances, the Minister said it might seem strange that a duty of 20 per cent, was put upon things not manufactured in the colony, but every user of steam machinery paid 20 per cent., and if they were going to allow electrical machinery in at less than steam machinery, how long would the latter last? They must have all classes of machinery on the same rate, or have all machinery free. He was not prepared to say there were not some electrical appliances, such as copper oi insulated wire, which might be put on the free list, but the machinery itself required to be put on exactly the same basis as steam machinery. He had asked electrical engineers throughout the colony to assist him in a classification with this object, but secured no response, so to make no mistake he put the whole under one head, though he was still prepared to recommend the Government to ascertain what electrical appliances could fairly be brought in free. “I don't see why an electric bell should be called a 'druggists' sundry' one day and 'hardware' the next," concluded ‘the Minister, “so 1 have put it down as an electrical machine." The deputation thanked Mr Miilar for his reply.

MASTERTON, July 23. Tlio Borough Council to-night discussed the increased duty on iron pipes of creator diameter tliau five ipolios. J-'his was considered a very serious matter

for local bodies when carrying out gas, water, and drainage works. 1 A motion was carried entering an emphatic protest against the increased duty. It was also decided to seek the co-operation oi all local bodies in the colony in protesting, and to forward the resolution to the member of Parliament for the district.