THE TARIFF BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22353, 29 August 1934, Page 8

THE TARIFF BILL

The opposition tbathaslbeen expressed in the House of Representatives to the Customs, Duties Bill has been -based chiefly oh the ground that the-scale of duties proposed by the Government is lower than that enacted-in Australia. A comparison of the duties on a ninth her of items certainly- Shows a substantial difference’ between the two tariff’s, and this has given some- force to the argument that ‘the Government has placed on the Ottawa agreements an interpretation that ■is hot shared with :■ it by other Governments in the Empire. As the New Zealand tariff was more favourable to the British manufacturers than the Australian tariff was prior to, the. Ottawa, Conference, it was-asked, yesterday why the Government should have considered it necessary, to touch the tariff at all., It is clear, however* -that -thei scale- of duties in the - Dominion was not'- regarded at Ottawa as of such a nature as would, afford to British manufacturers an opportunity-of competition in New Zealand on-an economic basis. The whole spirit, of the agreement with the British Government is that this opportunity should be granted to the manufacturing firms in the Mother Country, and no, serious apprehension seems to be entertained by the Dominion .manufacturers ' ’whose industries, are well equipped and efficiently 'organised, lest their interests- will; be prejudicially affected; Ijy the of the- tariffthat is proposed; Indeed, the representatives of some of the British manufacturers have expressed themselves as aggrieved at the amendments in the schedule of duties which the. Government has agreed to make upon representations addressed to it since the Customs resolutions were brought down last month.i In all the circumstances it would appear, therefore, that whatever the effect of the revision of the tariff may be, it will not operate to the disadvantage of the established industries in New Zealand, even if the accidental protection which they enjoy at present through-the operation of the exchange rate is ignored. However temporary this additional protection may be it is, of course, in the meantime of substantial benefit'to the secondary industries of the country. There may be special cases to which consideration will have to be given during the committee stage of the Customs Duties Bill, but it seems highly unlikely that the principal features of the measure will be disturbed.