LATE NEW ZEALANO NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13428, 9 July 1914, Page 6

LATE NEW ZEALANO NEWS.

(Per Press Assoctatlon.)

WELLINGTON/ this day. The Labor Congress this morning adopted the preamble of the recentlyformed Australian Federation of Labor. A motion that the New Zealand Federation's title of United Federation of Labor should stand was subsequently carried on the voices. An application -by a deputation from the Federated Timber Workers' Union far an increase m the duty on imported mouldings and. door* drew the Minister of Customs into an argument to-day on. the relation between the tariff and the riso m the cost oi living. The deputation urged an htcvcai:© duty from 20 to 30 per cent, on 'imported, doors .and mouldings, which wvrs being brought into 'the country, m increasing quantities. The imported artick's cam© chiefly from Sweden and Norway, where wages «tncl the «ott of living were low. The! Minister said the Government, when faced with requests like this, were m a. sort of cleft stick. I. An the? one aide wns the -civ .for a reduction m tho cost of living: <>n the other hand, there was the cry . for in<Mrea..sed tariff protection. The two were irroconciliable, J imported timber had to pay a freight for over 13,000 miJes, and.. then 20 and 30 percent, duty on top of, that. Was "tJint not a. reasonable tariff? Ai member of the deputation' said it did not seem to work out accordingly- ■ The difficulty was m competing, against -cheap labor and more up-to-date machinery. The Minister pointed out that if tlhe cost of imported doors increased, t}ie cost of building would be increased. Be added that the tariff would not be denJt with, during the present session. |