THE NEW TARIFF

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5517, 18 March 1896, Page 1

THE NEW TARIFF

Is all that can be desired— from a Government point of view. It is also all -wrong and ill-advised— from an Opposition point of view ; and it -will be. generally conceded that the man has not yet. been bom that can construct a '.tariff which will not pro-, yoke ridicule from the common or garden observer. However, something had to be done, and it was only to be expected, after the provincial tour of . the CommissionerSi that it would be something funny. But it was really touching to follow the said Commissioners on their round, and watch the sublime self-sacrifices -offered by the " successive suggestres." One man would come along and say that he was "running a factory" (we will say) for the tinning of garfish, and while not wishing anything otit of the way, would suggest a duty of 350 per cent adval. on tinned fish of all kinds. . It is only natural that this should be followed by another patriot who had a large stock of second-hand coffin-plates, and in the pure love of his country, and for the sake of the revenue, he would think it desirable that a tax of, say, seven shillings an ounce should be put on all this class of imports. Anything, apparently, for their country's good, while one of the main sources of revenue last year was derived from the duty paid on the large and ever-increasing shipments oi Vanity Fair Cigarettes, which have steadily made their way into public favour.^*