THE NEW TARIFF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10616, 11 March 1896, Page 3

THE NEW TARIFF

Is all that can be desired—from a Government point of view. It isialso all wrong and iU-advised —from an Opposition point of view ; and it will be generally conceded that the man has not yet been born that can construct a tariff which wiil not provoke ridicule from the common or garden observer. However, something had to be done, and it was only to be expected, after tbe provincial tour of tbo commissioners, that it would be something funny. But it was really touching to follow tbe said commissioners or. th=ir round aud watch the sublime self-sacrifices offered by the " successive suggestors." One man would come along and say that he was "running a factory" (wo will say) for tho tinning of garfish, and whilo not wishing anything out of th« way, would suggest a duty of SSO per cent, ad val. on tinned fish of all kinds.

It is only natural that this should be followed by another pitriot who had a largo stock of SBCond-haud coffin plates, and in tho pnra lovo of his country, and for the sake of the revenue, he would think it desirable that a tax of, say. 7s an ounce should be put on all this c!a«s of imports. Anything apparently for their country's good, while one of the main sources of revenue last year was derived from tho duty paid on the large and ever-iucroasiug shipments of "Vanity Fair" Cigarettes, wbich have steadily made their way into public favour.