THE TARIFF PROPOSALS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8498, 30 July 1907, Page 5

THE TARIFF PROPOSALS.

A special meeting of the Council of the Mastterton Chamber of Commerce was held, yesterday afternoon, to consider the tariff proposals. There were present —Messrs J. D. Cruickabank (chairman), VV. B. Chennells, E. E. Chamberlain, T. G. Mason, H. Donald, P. W. Temple, F. W. Carey, J. Caselberg, and G. C. Summerell. The Chairman, in explaining the object of the meeting, said that the new tariff proposals chiefly affVc-ted local bodies on account of the increased duty on cast iron pipes. The Wellington Chambsr of Commerce had already taken the matter up, and was organising a deputation to wait on the Premier. He considered that the local Chamber shouli pass a resolution protesting against the new tariff proposals and forward it to the Wellington Chamber. Mr Temple said that a deputation from local bodies would wait on the Premier in the course of a few days. The Mayor was going to represent the Masterton Borough Council on that deputation, and it would be well if he were armed with a resolution from the Chamber. The new tariff affected not only local bodies but all classes of trades, and he considered that now was the time to present a united front to the Government on this important quesiton. He considered that there was no u liformity in the new tariff proposals of the Government, and pointed out how the duty had been raised on several articles and taken off on similar ones. The increased duty on pipos meant anything from £1,500 upwards to the Masterton Borough Council in its new drainage scheme, and if the new gasholder had not been purchased at the time it was, it would have cost £l5O extra now with the increased duty. He moved—"That the Chamber enter a most emphatic protest against the increased duty on cast iron pipes of a greater diameter than five inches, as this will mean a heavy tax to local bodies." Mr Mason said he believed in supporting the Borough Council in getting the duty on pipes reduced, but the Chamber ought to also deal with the increased duty on articles of trade. He suggested that a small committee should be appointed to tabulate the articles of trade on which the duty had been increa :ed with a view to entering a protest. The Chairman said that the principal Chambers of Commerce in the colony would be taking up the matter of increased duty on the commodities of life. The Masterton Chamber ought to assist the Borough Council in having the duty reduced on castiron pipes. The motion was seconded by Mr Mason and carried unanimously. It was decided to forward a copy of the resolution ti Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., the Mayor of Masterton, and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.