TARIFF TROUBLES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6269, 24 July 1907, Page 6

TARIFF TROUBLES

COMPLAINT OF LOCAL BODIES. HON. J. A. MILLAR EXPLAINS SOME INCREASES. With the object of securing relief from some of the new Customs duties which will impose a heavier burden upop. municipalities carrying out large public un- | del-takings requiring the importation of j material, a representative deputation of j Wellington citizens interviewed the lion. .1. A. Millar (Minister for Customs) yesterday. The deputation comprised the Hon. T. W. llislop (Mayor of Wellington), Mr E. M. 8.. Fisher, M.11.R., Councillors J. Murdoch, \V. H. Morrah, 1 W. Hales, T. Carmichael, F. Cohen, J. P. Luke, J. Smith, and G. Shlrtcliffo, with tho City Engineer (Mr Morton), the Town (.‘Jerk (Mr J. R. Palmer), Messrs C, J. Bolton (Mayor of Eastbourne), C. Crawford (Mayor of Miramar), J. W. McEwan (Mayor of Pctone), and A. Peterkin (Mayor of Lower Hutt). The Mayor of Wellington explained that tho 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 I cent., was now increased to 20 per cent, ! An expenditure of .£26,200 was being in-1 curved upon electrical plant by tho city, j which would in consequence have to pay ‘ the State .£2600 in duty, again out of borrowed money. A large quantity of material was annually imported for use in connection with tho tramways and lighting scheme, and ho hoped the Government would help to cheapen these services as much as possible by reducing tho duties. ' ,

Mr Crawford (Mayor of Miramar) stated that the extra expenditure upon imported materials for the borough drainage scheme, owing to the new imposts, would amount to =£soo. He submitted that sufficient advantage was given to local manufacturers by the cost of freight 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 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 Mavor of Wellington. Ho suggested that if the locally-made steel-pipe was adopted by tho 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 duty would be by the placing of pines under six inches in tne fl Mr : Hislop : About .£IOO a year to the the Minister said the policy of the Government was to find worn for the people here, and in fostering the pipe intfustrv they did so with a knowledge that the Mephan-Ferguson lockingbar pine made in New Zealand was being used in the largest waterworks scheme in the colony—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 bo trained in the different industries, instead of having to go outside the colony for their training. They wanted to foster those without injuring the primary one, agriculture. "While he was’willing to do all he possibly could in remitting duties, the deputation should remember that remissions already amounted to <£370,000, though the revenue f increased duties would be only ,£132,000. It was not possible for the Government to sacrifice any more revenue. Of course, lie was willing to reconsider the matter, but the policy of the Government in endeavouring to foster local industries not be departed from. (Hear, near.) ELECTRICITY v. STEAM. Dealing with the remarks made about the doubling of the duty on imported electrical appliances, the Minister said 1 it might seem strange that a duty of 20 per cent, was put upon tlrncr« not mar l ’- factured in the colony, but every user of steam machinery paid 20 per cent., and if they wore going to allow electrical machinery in at less than steam machinery, how long would the latter last? They must hare 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 jmtsou exactly the same basis as steam machinery. 31© 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 I have put it down as an electrical machine.** The deputation thanked Air Millar for his reply. • ADD TARIFF TROUBLES PRESS ASSOCIATION. MASTERTON, July 23. Tbo Borough Council to-night discussed the increased duty on iron pipes of greater diameter than five inches, Thfs was considered a very serious matter for local bodies when carrying out gas, water, and drainage works, A motion was carried entering an emphatic protest against the increased duty. It was also decided to seek the co-operation of all local bodies in the colony in protesting, and to forward the resolution to the member of Parliament for the district.