DUTIES ON BUTTER

Southland Times, Issue 21191, 18 September 1930, Page 7

DUTIES ON BUTTER

INCREASE IN CANADA GOVERNMENT’S TARIFF PROPOSALS ADDED IMPOST ON TEXTILES (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) Ottawa, September 16. The duties on butter under the new tariff, announced in Parliament to-day by the Prime Minister, Mr R. B. Bennett, are S cents (4d) per lb under British preference, 12 cents (6d) under the intermediate tariff and 14 cents (7d) under tilt general tariff. The tariff changes numbered approximately 130, covering a broad variety of iron and steel schedules, cottons, woollens and many classes of farm machinery. Mr Bennett announced that a general revision of the tariffs would be made at the next session of Parliament, and that to-day’s changes dealt only with such items as would ensure additional employment. He declared that his earlier estimate that 25,000 men and women would be aided in securing employment through the Government’s proposals was too conservative, and the Government had a definite assurance from those charged with production that the steps being taken would result in increasing that number of jobs for Canadian labour. He also announced a positive assurance from the manufacturers of no increased prices to the consumer, but should this happen Cabinet possessed power to remove the protection. One of the most important features of the new tariff is the imposition of a specific duty in addition to the ad valorem impost on textiles from yarn right through to the finished garments. Countervailing duties have been introduced and the Dunning Budget has been wiped out, being replaced in almost every instance by rates higher than the prevailing ones. Fresh meat rates are increased. Lamb and mutton are now two cents and two and a-half to six cents respectively. Agricultural machinery shows a heavy advance, and numerous items on the intermediate list have jumped from 71- to 15 per cent., and on the general list from 71 to 25 per cent., while generally British preference remains free. BUMPING CLAUSE AN AMENDMENT DEFEATED. (Rec. 8.5 p.m.) Ottawa, September 16. The House of Commons on Tuesday night defeated an amendment by the former Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King, proposing to read that day six months the Government measure to amend the Customs Act in respect to the dumping clause. The amendment was rejected by a majority of 54. The importation into Canada of goods from Russia, which is believed to apply particularly to coal, may be stopped if an amendment to the Customs Act moved by the Prime Minister, Mr R. B. Bennett, becomes law. It proposes to prohibit the importation of goods irom any country not a party to the Treaty of Versailles. DUMPING DUTY OF 50 PER CENT. (Rec. 11 p.m.) Ottawa, September 17. The dumping duty in the tariff resolutions tabled in the House of Commons amounts to 50 per cent. On importations from Australia under the trade treaty the special duty will not exceed 15 per cent, ad valorem. FULFILLING PROMISES CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER. (Rec. 1.25 a.m.) Vancouver, Sepember 17. The Prime Minister, Mr R. B. Bennett, is evidently anxious to lose no time in implementing his promises to the electors on butter, which was an issue at the elections, but there is a strong conviction here that butter will be placed on the four-cent rate, leaving the producers’ organizations to whittle down their profits. There is no doubt here that butter will continue to enter Canada owing to its superior quality and the inability of Canadian dairymen to meet the demand all the year round. NEW ZEALAND BUTTER CANADIAN IMPORT DUTIES. IMPOSITION BEING CONSIDERED. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, September 17. Private cabled advices received to-day are to the effect that the Dominion Parliament of Canada is considering imposition of the following import duties on butter: British preferential tariff S cents (4d) per pound, intermediate tariff 12 cents (6d), and general tariff 14 cents (7d). The existing duty on New Zealand butter is one cent (Ad) per pound.

It was decided to raise the duty from one cent to four cents against New Zealand butter as from October 12. This step was regarded by the New Zealand Government as unfriendly with certain results to the Canadian motor car import trade. It is contended that the impositon of an eight cent duty on New Zealand butter would practically exclude it from Canada, assuming that Canadian made butter did not go to such high prices as to make it a profitable business to import from New Zealand. The effect of these new and higher duties, if given effect to, may have a weakening influence on the Nev,' Zealand butter market in the United Kingdom inasmuch as Canada had already grown into a most valuable second market. Exports of New Zealand butter to Canada last season were approximately 800,000 boxes valued at roughly £2,800,000.