RECIPROCITY,

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13357, 22 December 1906, Page 5

RECIPROCITY,

♦ NEW ZEALAND AND -SOUTH

AFRICA.

Per Press Association. - ' Wellington, December 22.

In speaking to. a Times reporter on the South' African reciprocity treaty; which was announced •' 'by. flbim iast wight, the Premier said there was at present (practically, no .foade .> from South Africa to New Zealand.; it -was all f.rom New Zealand to South Afri ea. There was 1 pmctioally no Sacrifice on the part of 1 New Zealand— thai was estimating a lo^s of revenue on "the •basis of the previous import trade. The rebate om tobacco referred to the South African product, and . the duty to be levied on tea 'apt lied to foreign tea. At present tea from British ; possessions is duty free, bat foreign tea is subject to a duty of 2d per Tb. Sir Joseph tried to get the duty on feathers kept as at presentA-at . 25 per cent— tout the South African Governimen'fc would not entetffcain tth'is , proposal. The only wdno. nuade in South Aifrioa is> a sort of ConstantSa, of which none is, at present imjaorted into New Zealand. The premier emphasised the pomt itbat New Zealand is doing an ebcr-or't tradie at present in all products on which South' Africa has' made Concessions, while South Africa has practically no trade on which South 'Africa is receiving concessions from us. South Africa wanted' a concession of 6s per .gallon on spirits, but the New Zealand Government, would not listen to- this!! - If j New Zealand did ever alter the • present duty of sixteen shillings per gal- i lon on' spirits there was an trader- " standing that South Africa should get th'p benefit of it, but this* could W left out of consideration, as there was np intention of doing t - so. The treaty 001110811110 operation on January isV and will expire next- session unless ' Parliament renews it.

Similar treaties have been conclude^ botx^neen Sotnth Africa and Canada and ' Australia. •