WELLINGTON NOTES.

West Coast Times, Issue 10181, 13 August 1895, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

The Tariff.

Any one possessing courage enough to wade through the report of the Tariff Commissioners will be struck with the

diverse opinions of witnesses on protectionist points. For instance, the Dunedin Wax Match Manufacturer says, he cannot u.se the Dunedin made stearine because it is too soft, and the Candle Company in trying to harden it sufficiently had knocked their machinery to pieces, therefore he asked that the duty on stearine should he removed. Another witness, the manager of the said Candle Company, gave evidence that he could supply stearine as good as anything which could be imported, that moreover he was supplying the match factory with stearine, and if the duty were taken off it would be an injustice to his industry. Further, that although Colonial candles are protected by a 2d per lb. duty, he deserved further protection. He said that the " mining candles " he made were as good if not superior to Foreign made ones. In this statement he also in turncomes in conflict with another witness, a mining manager who has spent £14,000 in plant and who expends £6000 a year in labor and material. He says :— " The colonial candle is about the worst candle I know of in the world." Having spent a few years myself in underground work I unhesitatingly agree with this outspoken Otago man. He also wanted concessions in the tariff. Then a manufacturer — save the mark — who employs six boys asked for the duty on wire nails to be increased from 2s to 7s per cent, virtually adding Id per lb to an article of every day use. ,The same enterprising individual also poses as a fireworks manufacturer, but has no employees in that department of his nail -factory, and while acknowledging that £4 worth of materials will make £10 worth of fireworks, he asks for an increase in the duty of 100 per cent. On the subject of BINDER TWINE.

Some very interesting disclosures come out which should make farmers study their pockets before premising their votes at the next elections. It is generally known throughout the Colony that this trade is practically controlled by J Gr. Ward. Of 1000> tons made in the Colony over 900 are made from New Zealand fibre. There is none imported

and thirefore no necessity to keep it on the list for revenue purposes, the 15 per eont rate stops there for another purpose which will be gathered further on. En passant it may be remarked that binder twine is one of the articles mentioned in the proposed reciprocity treaty with Canada. In New Zealand the farmer has to pay 4f per lb for the twine ; in Victoria the same article, spun by the same makers is sold at 2£d. It was shown in evidence th»t the fibre could be exported to New York, spun there and then sent back to New Zealand at 3£d, and that the twine could be made and sold at a profit to farmers al that price in the Colony. Another witness, a storekeeper in a large grain growing district, gave the following evidence. " A shipment of twine from the Auckland Fibre Company was sent to Sydney at 2 |d per lb and, without being unloaded iii Sydney returned per same 8.8. " Waihora " to Dunedin at 3d per lb." As a matter of fact Govern ment has not, in the recent alterations, seen its way to remove the impost, and as it is no secret that, since Mr Ward's return, the bonds of this ringjhave been lightened. It would be absurd for farmers to shut their eyes to the fact that they, as a body, are paying many thousands sterling a year to swell the profit of an industry requiring no fostering and which cannot be retained on the tariff on the plea of aiding the revenue. ON BOOTS AND SHOES. which are jumped up from the old rates of free and 15 per cent to 25 ptr cent all round, the Christchurch traders went very thoroughly into the details of the tariff requirements of what has giown into a very large industry, " and the following recommendations were unanimously adopted by both manufacturers and the Bootmakers Union. " First : —" We are strongly opposed to an ad valorem tariff under present conditions." Second, "we do not recommend the introduction of a high fixed duty. " And they submitted a scale varying from " Free " on gum boots and infants shoes to 15 per cent on other made up goods. It was shown that the Colonial made article had, in many instances, driven out the imported and was gradually doing so in Other lines and the relative sales of boots

now sold in the Colony was abouc £400,000 of Colonial to £140,000 o1o 1 foreign. A large manufacturer in Dum din corroborated this in his evidence He said "We manufacture, import, and distribute ; every year we are capturing some new line in our manufacturing department." With respect to the scale <■ ' prices fixed by the Union after the- Auc! land strike the same witness said. "T .c men were more cruel to themselves t'ui.i employers would have been." With . t going any further into details it is prettj curtain that the recent alterations will not pass unchallenged by the House. If the country is not to be relieved in somi measure from taxation, and there is to bt a revision, then the best thing for Parliament to do is to SIMPLIFY THE TARIFF. There could be at least 200 or 30G items selected out of the list which an confusing and irritating to importers :vnt placed under some easily distinguishable headings so that experts would not be necessary to wrangle over the question whether a certain piece of drapery wa.tailor's trimmings on the free lis or dress material subject to 2i per cent ad valorem as the cas> is now. There are a hundred and raon other claims which in some cases do noi return £5 each to the revenue, and whic; might with advantage be struck oil altogether. That was Mr Gladstone. plan in 1871, when h : swept the ta 1 nT of all but a dozen or so of articles of luxurj . If this were done to the extent o: £150,000 and in lieu thereof another j added to sugar no one would suffer much, if at all, by the change; for the primr cost of that article has come down so tre mendously of late years that with th« increased duty it would not cost the consumer more than 3d per lb : or half wbai it did 12 or ""14 years ago. Anothei article capable of bearing more taxatioii without injuring the consumer is COLONIAL BEFR. It goes without saying that brewing i^ here, as elsewhere, a very profitable industry and, without robbing the poor man of his beer, o»- preaching a temperance lecture, it is very patent that those who are enjoying large profits might, without any hardship, be compelled to contribute a fairer share of their large towards bearing the public burdens. Two breweries in Wellington share the trade between them. One oj them distributed £10,000 last year among its four proprietois ; the other establishment probably did better for its soleowner. If we are to pay more taxes let us clearly understand what they are to be inflicted on. Free mutton birds and fretlead for tea packing are vague blessings the average elector does not ask for or appieciate, but free binder twine woulo be a very real relief to the farmer. However the subject is a very dry and tedious one and whatever happens in Parliament will be, as usual settled on Part\ lines, so here goes for the tuneful harp. Now nothing can be finer or more beautiful to see Than the way the Party votes with such unanimity. It matters not to members of the Democratic crew What the upshot of the game may be They to themaelves are true. T'was a ditter pill to swallow when the Treasurer veered around But the Party laid the whitewash on and for Party voted sound ; Still it got to be more bitter, as I think you must insist, When the highly flavored mutton bird is first on the free list. So the working man feels grateful for the joys he has in store, For the fr«e Australian vintage which will never cross his door. Then to counterbalance what might seem too strong a smell of wine Ward puts nore r'uty on our boots, but guards his binder twine. And the culminating agony has not as yet been felt ; There are fat sows ears want greasing while there's favors to be dealt. Let the unemployed still wander, let their wives and children starve The Party will be faithful till there's no more goose to carve. THE WICKED TORIES Have again put their feet in it, and ifc ' came about this way. Last year Messrs Gale and M'Lellan canvassed Wellington with a view of creating a fund to find work for the unemployed and succeeded so well that the Queen's drive was the outcome of it. This winter our Liberal Government acknowledged that matters were worse than ever, and offered, as crumbs of comfort, a few more Labor Bills. When the soup kitchen phase of hard times was reached Mr GaJe again came t« the front and with Mr Ross, of Sargood's firm, collected £500 among the business firms without an hour or too, the money being all the more willingly subscribed because last year's donations had been so successfully spent. With £500 in hand the two canvassers stormed the City Council the same evening and obtained £ for £, and as Government is bound to assist private subscriptions to the extent of 24s per £ and municipal contributions at the rate of £1 for £1, this unemployed fund swelled to £2100 forthwith, and it was entirely from people of the wrong color. The old heathen proverb of Bin dal gui cilo dat never came in better, and about £70 has sin-e been added to the private lists. The out come will probably be a new recreation ground. No one will be employed on the works except men who have been residents in Wellington for some* lime.

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