LOLLIES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13484, 26 July 1907, Page 5

LOLLIES.

cdMP£AINT ABOUT PROPOSED

DUTIES.

(T«2©gr*pked b$ Our Parliamentary v Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 25: The attempt of the Government to evolve a measure of tariff-reform has produced the usual crop of deputations from persons and trades and retailers interested. The latest came from the retail confectioners, who waited in considerable numbers on the Premier and the Minister for Customs this after- , noon. Mr G. Shirtcliffe put forward the views of the deputation clearly and concisely. The new tariff, he said, would inflict a very great hardship on a large body of people. According to the latest census there were in the colony thirtysix manufacturers of confectionery, who employ 571 hands. On the other hand there were about 1100 retailers of confectionery in the colony, with from 5000 to 6000 people altogether dependent on the trade. The new tariff would prejudicially affect them, especially in the cheaper grades, in regard to which the local manufacturers would be given a large measure of protection. This would prohibit the importation of considerable - quantities of this class of goods, the demand for which would not be replaced by the demand for the. locally-made article. ■ It seemed to him that the imposition of the new duties would offer a splendid opportunity to local manufac- ' turers to exploit the public. The question was threshed out in con- „ siderable detail by the deputation. In reply,' the Premier said the Government recognised that adjusting the tariff was a very difficult thing. From the representations made to the Government, the duty on lollies appeared to be unsatisfactory. There had been a tendency in different parts of the colony to get them in at chocolate rates. On examination they, would find that there had been an attempt to classify so as to make things easy for,,the importers and the departmental officers and to prevent the' almost interminable dispute which had arisen. The intention was to assist , the local manufacturer with the object of giving increased employment in the colony. However, the Government • would give careful consideration to the • views of the deputation before that portion of tho Tariff Bill was reached.