TARIFF PROPOSALS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8226, 1 September 1906, Page 6

TARIFF PROPOSALS.

♦ —■ By Telegraph—-Press Association. AUCKLAND, August 31. A representative meeting of grain merchants aud members of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce discussed the tariff proposals as effecting the grain industry. Mr MoFarlane, President of the Chamber of Commerce, presided. He contended that the Government proposals Would be disastrous to the farming <tnd milling industries, and pointed out that if flour was admitted free it meant. very probably that cheaply-produced flour from India would enter the colony. He also remarked that tbe carriage of grain and flour was much cheaper in Australia than in this colony, tie pointed out that between two and ' three hundred thousand tons of oual were used yearly in connection with the milling industry. Great stress was also placed on the damage that would be done to the farming community by a revision of tbe chaff duty, much of the Australian chaff being sent over already in spite of the £1 per ton duty. The tariff proposals aifeoting sugar and potatoes were also severely criticised. The meeting unanimously carried tbe following resolution, aud sent it to the Premier and local members—"That this meeting expresses its strong disapproval at the reciprocity tariff proposal now bei ore the House of Representatives for admitting flour, oatmeal and articles manufactured from cereals into New Zealand free, as such action will be disastrous to the milling industry as well as to the farmers asd labour interests connected therewith, while not benefitting the consumer at all, and thac this meeting is strongly averse to the proposals in the tariff referring to hay, cbhfE, and other products which, if carried into effect, will cripple the farming industry in this colony." DUNEDIN, August 31. Looal millers are indienant at the reciprocity agreement, whtah tbey say will shut up every mill in the oolony.