TARIFF REFORM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2872, 24 March 1909, Page 24

TARIFF REFORM.

LONDON, March 16. The Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, by 113 votes to 49, adopted a resolution in favour of the maintenance of Freetrade. March 19. The Standard's New Yoik correspondent reports that the Tariff Bill includes provision for not applying the maximum! retaliation rates iiw cases of preferential duties with the Mother Country. It is stated in Washington that the new tariff measures will tempt Germany to purchase American food for her aravy and navy. Chicago firms declare that Germany could easily absorb hundreds of millions of pounds of meat annually if the tariff were placed on a reciprocal base. NEW YORK, March 17. Mr Taft haa presented an urgent Message to Congress asking it to expedite the matter of tariff revision and to put an end to the present disturbance of business by a epeedv decision. WASHINGTON, March 18. The Payne Tariff Bill has been submitted! to Congress. Twenty per cent, ad valorem is added to the- regular rates in tlie oaee of countries not giving the most favoured rates to the United States A few unimportant increases make for revenue purposes. Manufactured articles of flax, hemp, and jute are generally reduced 25 per cent. Newspaper printing paper and hides are largely reduced. Pulp wood is made free. Duties on iron and steel imports axe reduced 30 to 50 ' per cent. The wool and woollen schedule is piactically untouched. The bill provides for zeciprocal Freetrade with the Philippines, with a limit. Sugar and tobacco aro to be imported duty free. Although Mr Payne's bill is intended as a readjustment of the Dingley tariff, it will increase the total revenue by eight to ten millions. It reduces, however, the duties by one-third on class wools, admits iron ore, tallow, ar~J hides duty free, and reduces that on sole leather by 15 per cent. The bill contains a clause* that will be retaliatory against recent British patents legislation.