THE AMERICAN TARIFF

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 25

THE AMERICAN TARIFF

LONDON, January 19. The Herald's Washington correspondent reports that President Taft has granted the minimum Customs rates under the new tariff law to the United Kingdom, but not to the British colonial possessions, also to Italy, Russia, Spain and her colonies, the Ottoman Empire, but not Egypt, The l'epeal of the meat exclusion laws is described as the irreducible minimum of American demands under the new tariff, which German;/ and America are now fighting. The tariff becomes effective on April 1. There is not the slightestpresent sign of settlement. The Times' Washington correspondent, referring to Great Britain and the minimum tariff, makes no mention of the British colonies. January 20. The Colonial Office is without information respecting the American maximum tariff, but special inquiries in New York show that Australia is not admitted. January 22. The Morning Post'is. Washington correspondent save America is unlikely to settle the German tariff before February 7, as American negotiations are pending with France and Canada, which concessions to Germany would disturb. Washington considers it preferable to experience a few weeks of the German maximum tariff than to encourage Canada aaid France to make stiffer demands. BERLIN, January 19. It is announced in Berlin that Germany's general tariff will be automatically enforced against the United States on February 7, owing to inability to continue to apply the conventional tariff to 127 articles enumerated in the modus vivendi. January 21. The reporter for the Reichstag Commission urges the acceptance of the Portuguese Treaty because of the wounds to German trade, owing to the tariff war with Canada,, which had discouraged new ventures of the same eort.

OTTAWA, January 20. In the House of Commons Sir W. Laurier, replying to a question, said that the Government was of opinion that Canada, was included with Great Britain in the American minimum tariff, but in Mr Fielding's (Miinister of Finance) absence he would not care to make any definite statement. EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND. WELLINGTON, January 21. On being interviewed regarding the cablegram stating that the President of the United! States had granted the minimum Customs rates under the new tariff law to the United Kingdom, but not to British colonial possessions, Sir Joseph Ward said he regretted that the new tariff did not refer to the British colonial possessions. It meant, as far as New Zealand was concerned, our practical exclusion from the United States in regard to certain articles, which would be difficult to introduce even under the lower tariff. There could, he added, be no doubt that at present a consider'able quantity of New Zealand wool was shipped to England and bought by Americans there and then conveyed to America. The anomaly was, he assumed, that such purland it would come under the maximum tariff, while Wf shipped from New _ Zealand §t would come under the maximum! tariff. There weire some articles which would fully compensate for interchange of trade between New Zealand and America, and would not in any way injure our local industries.-''