DUTIES AND DUMPING.

Taranaki Herald, Issue 13917, 29 May 1909, Page 2

DUTIES AND DUMPING.

•"mm ■; "Recent happenings in various parts, of the world supply interesting problems for the advocates of what they call a scientific tariff. In Melbourne the other day it was seriously suggested hy th^e Trades Hall Council that an export duty should be imposed on wheat, meat, and butter in order to prevent the exportation of those articles to such an extent as to bring about increased prices. In Wellington the prices of meat have just been reduced because of the poor returns obtained from the London market. In New York, our cables tell us to-day, the prices of zneai are heing Surkher raised by l£d and 2d per lb., and lamb chops are now 17$ d per lb. The same trust which is doing this is endeavouring to capture the English market by dumping cheap supplies into London. It is a tangled skein to unravel, but one point seems to stand out clearly, that while the people of the United States, which is a strong Protectionist country* are being made to pay extortionate prices for moat, and while complaints are made that the people of Victoria, another Protectionist country, are also being charged too much for their foodstuffs, the people of Great Britain, the Free Trade country, are reaping the benefit, are, in fact, obtaining supplies at the expense of the 'American and Victorian people. Another instance of this kind of thing ia found in connection with the steel trade. A few weeks ago the Glasgow City Corporation accepted the tender of an American steel company to supply tram rails and fishplates at £6 2s a ton, while the next lowest tender was that of a British firm, whose prices irere £8 10s a ton for rails and £12 10s foi fish-plates. American steel men, a Xew York despatch says, were jubilant over their success, and declared that this was only the beginning of a series of gigantic dumps of surplus American steel in the United Kingdom. Bids had already been made for a number of other large British contracts, and in every case the prices -quoted were from 40 to 50' per cent, lower than they would be if the Steel Trust and its allies were not engaged in a clumping campaign. The despatch further stated thai these -steel men "do not conceal their contempt for the British fis^ cal policy which makes their present campaign possible." They ought to keep their contempt foi the American people who permit the Steel Trust to charge them extortidnate prices for steel in ordei to make good the loss on the steel they dump in England. The Steel Trust is, in fact, doing with its steel just what the Melbourne Traded Council complains that Victorian producers are doing with their wheat, meat, and butter, exporting it (at a very heavy loss) in order that artificially high prices may be wrung from the American -public. In Great Britain the reverse is the case: the individual suffers to. some extent in order that the community as a whole may gain. The dumping oi American meat into England makes it difficult for the British farmer to produce meat at a profit, and so with steel. The Glasgow City Corporation, however, by accepting the American tenders for rails, saved pferhnps some thousands of pounds, which it would be able to spend upon something else, giving employment to British workmen. Besides which, in order to pay for the American rails, there would have to be a so much larger export of cotton, jute, linen, woollen, or some kind of metal*manufactures, which are the principal exports from the United Kingdom to the United States. Putting the individual ou one side, which, we would ask, gets the better of the bargain — the community which obtains a thousand tons of steel rails at fifty per cent, below the actual cost of production, or the community which supplies - the goods at a loss? Which is the policy to be^ viewed with contempt, the one which permits a meat trust to raise prices almost to famine rates in its own country while supplying another country at prices which the latter country cannot attempt to produce at, or the policy which protects its people from the greed of such trusts? Probably the Glasgow Corporation would only be too pleased to endure the redoubled contempt oi these American steel men if the latter would still further reduce their prices for rails and fishplates. This policy has only to be carried to its logical conclusion and America would be supplying the British people with their food and everything else free, and the British workman would not require to work at all — that is, until ilie Arnericarf people rose up in their might and crushed the trusts which now exploit them.

To-day we have distributed six parcels of "Books for Bushmen" containing over 600 books. A very useful lot of novels, etc., have been received the last few days, and parcels have been sent to Purangi. HuTroa, Oaonui, Uruti, Ohura, and Ofcau. The borough engineer, acting under , instructions from the executive committee of the borough council, has prepared alternative plans of a structure to replace the present fridge in Powdernam Street, which has had to he closed to vehicular traffic owing to its unsafe condition. One of the plans is for - a reinforced concrete bridge and the other scheme is a concrete culvert and filling.

Mrs. Harding sends parcels of "Rooks for Bushmen." A cable from Brisbane states thai Mr. Campbell, member for Moreton, lias retired owing to ill-health. Last night the country teachers entertained the town teachers at a social in the Brougham Street Hall. There was a good attendance and an <?njo,y- • able gathering orentuat«). The new borough overseer, Mr. AY. R. Gall, who took up his duties on May L, has, we understand, received notice terminating his engagement with the council. in a paragraph in Tuesday's issue it wns stated that judgment for plaintiff had been given in the S.M. Court in the case H. Sparkes v. A. N. Cliff. This should have read Cliff v. Sparkes. A rumour is current that the diningcars aro to be taken off the New Ily-mouth-Wellington railway service in a few weeks. Inquiry shows that there is no foundation for the rumour, at least at present. An exchange says- that one of the scandals of the Main Trunk line is the magnificent railway station, at Waimar mo, where a statkmmuster ' and clerk manage. The monthly turnover seldom exceeds £2 ! An Ashburton Press message states that Isaac Baigent was yesterday committed for trial at the Supremo Court at Timayu on Tuesday on a charge of committing rape on Martha Alive, Pennell, a married woman. Defence was reserved, bail being allowed. A joint meeting of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce and the Holiday Association yesterday unanimously decided to hold a New Zealand industries week on the Wellington and Christchurch model during the dairy show. y 4 The Masterton District Court was occupied yesterday with a case, William Hugh Long v. Max O. Aronsten, a claim for £499, money alleged to be owing on account of partnership. The plaintiff was nonsuited without the defence being called. A Wellington "Press Association message states tkak fciie price of the 2 \h. loaf will be reduced to 3id on and after Monday if flour does not become dearer. Bread was advanced from 3Jd to 3Jd a few weeks ago, when flour went up £1 per ton. Coupons will be sold for 3s 5d a dozen. The management of West's Pictures, who open their season in the Theatre Royal on Monday night^ have generously offered to give one night's proceeds in aid of the Recreation Sports Ground. The night, of which due notice will be given, will probably be AVednesday, -June 2. The appreciation of this generous offer of Mr. West will, no doubt, be shown by a bumper house on each night of the performance. In. the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr. H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M V a first offending drunkard was convicted and discharged. James John Lyttelton pleaded guilty to a charge of being found helplessly drunk on the ! main road, Mokau. Accused, who had .; bpen on remand for medical treatment for two weeks, was convicted and ordered to pay the expenses connected v ith his treatment, £4 14s- 6d, in default seven days' imprisonment. At the Dunedin Police Court yesterday, Louis Morris, who recently became bankrupt, was charged with failing to I keep proper books. Mr. Macassey, , for the Crown, asked for a remand for a week, stating that it was a case of failing to keep proper books, and that 'no amount was involved. The penalty imposed was imprisonment not exceeding two years. Accused was remanded, bail being allowed, himself in £200 and two securities in £100 each. ! When the Conciliation Council resumed yesterday afternoon in the Council Chambers, Mr. Grosvenor, representing i.the employers in the dispute , between the Auckland Slaughtermen's Union and t^<? Waitara and Pntea j freezing works proprietors, applied for , an adjournment till Monday next at 3 p.m. Mr. Bust, representing the workers, supported the application. The commissioner pointed out to the assessors that these delays were very expensive to the conntrv, but in this case lie was in favour or acceding to the request. The assessors granted %ho application. Tlie committee appointed by the New Zealand Conference to draw up a scheme for an independent Methodist Coniereuco for tho dominion proposes 'that the New Zealand Church will become independent in 1922. A report will go before the district circuits and synods and be considered next year. It is proposed to call it the Methodist Church of New Zealand, and to give it full power of legislation and control of tanas. Provision is macle for obtaining a share of |;ho Australasian fund by actuarial investigation. Ministers who have mado thirty years' payments will have a choice or which fund they prefer to belong to.