TARIFF ALTERATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 53

TARIFF ALTERATIONS.

♦ We have been shown an invoice of goods on which an increased duty has been called for by local manufacturers, and which at the existing tariff rate shows as follows : — Invoice cost, £128 12s sd; freight and charges, £50 6a 3d; duty, £30 16s; ttues and cartage, £10 8s lOd; insurance, 16s 6d;— total, £221. or an added cost of ebout 75 per cent., a fraction of profit to the seller here. MASTERTON, July 29. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day the following resolution was carried :—" That this chamber enter a most emphatic protest against the increased duty on cast-iron pipes of a greater diameter than sin, as this will mean a heavy tax to local bodies." - (FBok Our Own Cobbkjpondknt.) GREYMOUTH, July 26. In connection with the new tariff is a proposed extra duty on dental goods. The New Zealand dentists consider this unwarranted, and are appealing to the Government on the matter. Yesterday Mr W. E. Reynolds, secretary of the West Coast Dental Association, wired to the Hon. Mr Guinness and Mr T. Seddon, and pointed out the hardship upon the poorer population if the prices have to be raieed. DEPUTATIONS TO THE MINISTER. WELLINGTON, July 29. A deputation to the Minister of Customs, representing importers of typewriters, protested against the proposal to put^a preferential duty of 10 per cent, on all typewriters manufactured outside the British Empire, asserting that no standard machines were made in England and that the preferential tariff would simply mean an increased "cost to the public who used typewriters. The Minister replied that he did not see why tho Government should assist to feed the Amerioan market, and it seemed to him that if British capital was invested in some of these concerns the capitalists, should take htepa to have the machines made in England. Besides, he knew from invoices he saw that various American manufacturers made up for the preferential tariff handicaps hy giving wholesale purchasers a " preferential bonification" to counteract the advantage given to British traders. However, he would lay the deputation's request before Cabinet.