RECIPROCAL TARIFFS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 48, Issue 14609, 7 March 1922, Page 4

RECIPROCAL TARIFFS.

New Zealand has sent a Minister across to Australia to endeavour to arrange a reciprocal tariff with the Commonwealth. We do not liko his chanco of achieving much that will benefit New Zealand. We may obtain a concession or two, but it will be given in a conde-

seending spirit, and with an eye to a big Australian benefit in the future. The unfortunate part of the business is that we are liable to hold a bigger opinion of ourselves that other countries do. After all, we are very “small potatoes” compared with Australia or the United, States. Australia does not care very much whether she trades with us or not. We have not shown a spirit towards Australia that is likely to open the way to a reciprocal trade tariff. We have repeatedly adopted a selfish attitude towards Australia. We keep put her potatoes and other products by means of high customs duty, and we scream with rage when Australia adopts the same policy towards us. We seem to think that Australia is solely at fault, but we are very much afraid that the main blame lies on the shoulders of New Zealand. When we discard the idea that New Zealand is the hub of the universe, and recognise that other countries have trading rights as well as ourselves, then we shall be better treated in the way of taiiffs than we are at present.