TARIFF QUESTIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17944, 1 May 1928, Page 11

TARIFF QUESTIONS.

ADDRESS BY MINISTER OFOUSTOMS.

GOVERNMENT POLICY ■ DEFENDED. ' By Tflagraph—Prat* Aaanclatlom. HAMILTON, April' 30. The Minister of Finance and Customs (Hon. W. Downie Stewart)-., delivered a political speech at the Town Hall to-night, and was given, a sympathetic hearing. Despite fearfully wintry conditions, a good attendance greeted the Minister, who was accorded a hearty vote of thanks arid Hearty cheers. Mr Stewart devoted a considerable portion of his speech to matters connected with the. Customs tariff.-.. -The revision of the tariff last he said, had aroused widespread criticism. Some of the manufacturers who wanted high ' protection complained that they were being ’butchered to make a farmers’ holiday. On the other hand, in some districts farmers protested against any increased protection,” indeed in Auckland province the /Farm-, ers’ Union urged! the gradual abolition of all protective duties. Fruit-growers, poultry men, maize and grain growers, dairymen, pig-taisers, and many others had demanded and obtained protection, and the duties were substantial* in relation to the value of the £t)ods. Even if a free-trade Parliament ..were returned the * Minister of Customs would find almost insuperable practical difficulties in gradually reverting 'to free trade. If Customs protective duties wore abolished some millions of -pounds revenue would have to be made.up'jout of increased land or income tax. 1 In New Zealand they had always * taken the view that the object of proiective duties Was not to exempt the manufacturer from competition, but merely to compensate him for the disadvantages he was under, as to higher wages, , ‘.restricted market, and so pn. To. advocate duties so high that they excluded all competition was to mistake protection for prohibition. There was another aspect of the Customs tariff that had. proved most valuable both toffarmefs and manufacturers, and that, was—the power it gavd/ them to negotiate other countries. This . the. Mimgtqr; illustrated by! reference to the' treaty made with Australia in 1922, whereby butter, cheese, arid bacon, entered* Australia under the reciprocal tariff --; at rates lower than the British preferential rates. The average exports .of New Zealarid to Australia for four years before the treaty was only £55,232, whereas in 1926 it was £479,330, and in. 1927 £984.(5,16. Few people reused that nearly half the imports came'into New Zealand. free except for primage duty. The Government in 1921 took off the duty on children’s ..boots -and other necessities. Later tlie reduced the tax ori ted; and-on tobacco, and in 1927 took off the duty on many articles of household use. He believed the New Zealand tariff. was properly ; designed, to meet the stage, of economic uevgjppirient the cputitry had reached. /■*" The Minister-referred tfl the organisation of the United Political Association, saying it would be time to debate its policy when this was broughtAx|pJvri. All these bodies with long names seemed to have short lives. With regard to the Country Party he thought it would have difficulty in doing more for farmers than the Reform Party was'cloing. Farmers felt the depression more than others, still the depression was .passing away, and if farmers examined form’s record, they would fore deserting-it in favour of ritfdther party. ...V,!:: '' , v