THE BUDGET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11120, 20 July 1907, Page 1

THE BUDGET.

TRADE OPINIONS ON THE TARIFF, (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 17. "I scarcely know what to say about tut » tariff proposals," observed Mr A. W . i> Beaven, President of the Canterbury In- • dustrial Association. "Ther© is much m •■ it o£ an exceedingly gratifying nature, and s much quite the reverse. One can only - view the matter with feelings that are * , thoroughly mixed, and jierliaps closer i ' study ig necessary before a reasonable I. opinion can be expressed. So far I have 1 been unable to give more than a» glance > at the proposals." • ;' On the whole, the grocers seem fairly J well satisfied with!' the changes m the 'tariff 2 on articles for human consumption and f household commodities after October 31st. I Dried fruits, prunes, dates, and such, like • goods will be admitted free. "The duty . I on these has hitherto been 2d per Ib," said i[a representative grocer, "so the change I will be a welcome one to the housekeeper. I 1 Currants and raisins will also be brought i i m free, which will mean a decrease m ! price of Id per lb, that being the present duty on these articles. With one or two exceptions, the Government seem to have acted on the suggestions made by the Grocers' Association. We recommended that sugar and dried fruits should have the duty knocked off, and this h*as been done. Another thin? lam pleased to see is that the present tariff on tobacco has been adhered to. If it had' been lowered the trust- which controls operations would probably have kept prices the same as they are now, which would mean that the duty saved would have gone into their private coffers instead of the public getting their 'tobacco cheaper." "*'l think it is a wise step," replied another large dealer m answer to a question m regard to raising the tariff oh candles from Id to lid per lb. "The candles manufactured) locally are very good, if not o^uite so good; as the imported article, and it is, of counse. always desirable to encourage local industry. , : ' ■ . "The changes, as far as we are concerned, are all satisfactory," said another grocer with a large business, "but I think the authorities might have gone further and lifted the tariff on , tinned fish. At present there is 2d duty on' a tin. of fish, which sells for 6d. Thus, to say the least, is cutting things pretty fine." Business, men m Wellington, interviewed regarding the new tariff, gave varying opinions. Mr Harold Beauchamp thought the tariff calculated to please all classes ; a strong attempt had been made to give protection to languishing industries. The Colonial Treasurer wag to be greatly com. mended for £ho nffort he was making to devslop New 'Atii and trade:. Mr G. Shirt, cliffe considered me remissions were made m good time; \he thought cocoa and chocolate should have been included m the free breakfast table. To . have taken the duty off flour would have spelt ruin for the flourmilling, and put large areas out of wheat cultivation. An undue penalty was- imposedi on imported confectionery, the local manufacturers "being, given ljd per lb protection when the remission of the duty on sugar is also allowed . for. He wad pointing out that while the raising of the duty by id on candle© would make the imported article dearer, the increase of the impost by £d on paraffin would increase the pr'ce of the local commodity, when a telephone message came to the ef; feet tihat the quotation had just gone up a farthing on lop of a> recent addition of 5 per cent., a total of id per lb. One man complained that aftef expensive machinery had been imported for the production of blue, they were to be penalised ,for .their ■enterprise. Refening to candles and paraffin he stated the community was m. ifor dear candles., The suggested rise from Jd to 3d per lb on fresh fruit would kill the whole of the connection m grefen fruit with Australia and Tasmania. Mr Aitken said that motor cars free and bicycles dutiable was a typical anomaly. A boot manufacturer said) they were sufficiently protected ; the great thing they had to contend witlj was prejudice against New Zealand-made -footewar. The strangest aspect of their business was that the three most important manufacturing firms m New Zealand were also the largest importers of footwear ; he wondered how that trio would like the tariff. A carriage builder tlwught, instead of motor cars being allowed m free, the duty should have beeri increased to 33 per cent. ; even the engines were now being made m Auckland. "We are very .much disgusted," is the view expressed by the chairman of directors of the Wellington Woollen Company; what they should have had was a specific duty on low-class woollens m addition to the ad valorem duty. The Pro. sident of the New Zealand 'Ironmasters' Association was painfully surprised with the tariff ; their great point wa6 to get the raw material free. In the timber line importers of expensive foreign (roods favor a reduction m duty, butdealers m colonial timibers desired no change. A' fancy goods man was not able to interpret what was meant by the duties on perfumes. The manager of the New Zealand Candle Company said the id per lb protection was what they had asked for, the industry having been sfcruggline along all the time, but the advantage given was nullified by the added impost of id on paraffin . "