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Southland Times, Issue 19250, 14 June 1921, Page 5

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. OPENING DATE UNCERTAIN. TARIFF REVISION QUESTION. (Special to the Times.) WELLINGTON, June 13. The Imperial Conference is opening later than Mr Massey expected, and communications received here indicate that the proceedings are likely to occupy at least six weeks, and possibly two months. Mr Massey will be glad of the extra time to attend to various business matters, including the proposed public works loan, and New Zealand’s claim in connection with wool profits, but he will be disappointed if his departure from London is delayed much beyond the end of July. If he ■tarts his homeward journey early in July Parliament can meet at the beginning of August and deal with the preliminary business of the session. Ministers are anxious to open the session as early as possible, because the amount of work to be handled thia year is very large, but they do not think it will be practicable to do much before Mr Massey’s return. The big business of the, session is to be the amendment of the tariff, and it is quite possible that some of the resolutions of the Imperial Conference will have an important bearing upon fiscal policy. The departmental officers who form the Tariff Cemmission have returned to Wellington after conducting inquiries in various parts of the Dominion, and they will proceed shortly to frame their report, which in •fleet will be a revised tariff. The direction of the inquiries that have been made by the Commission suggests that local industries are going to be given more effective protection than they enjoy at present. The Commission have had placed before them striking proof of the efficiency of the new Australian tariff, which is being used to enable Australian manufacturers, and in a smaller degree producers, to score over New Zealanders. Australian goods are being sold in New Zealand cheaper than in the Commonwealth itself, and manufacturers in this country cannot compete successfully if the practice of dumping is permitted. The commissioners will not be ready to present the draft tariff for the consideration of Ministers for two or three months vet. and it is considered quite likely that Parliament will not deal finally with the measure until after Christmas, since time must be allowed for representations by interMed parties after the proposals have been gaade public.