FREE FROM DUTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3272, 18 July 1911, Page 2

FREE FROM DUTY.

A QUESTION OF FENCING WIRE

The remissions in Customs taxation made by the Government was one of the subjects discussed by the Minister for Public Works at Wakefield last week. He gave in detail articles which have been removed from the dutiable list to the free list. He drew attention to fencing wire, but the credit for the removal of the former heavy taxation from that article is claimed by the Leader of the Opposition. “The Minister 'boasts that fencing wire is now free,” said Mr Massey subsequently. “I should like to remind the Minister that fencing wire was placed on the free list on my own motion as far back, I think, as 1895. Every member of the Ministry voted against that motion, but it was carried by a considerable majority. The Minister has paraded the virtue of his party so liberally that I feel justified in claiming the credit which is due to me for a remission, resulting in a saving of £15,000 to the agricultural community.” The Minister stated that the remission of duties on agricultural, dairying, gasmaking, mining, woodworking, and woollenmilTing machinery, on which from 5 per cent, to 20 per cent, was formerly paid, had resulted in a loss in revenue of £95,225. That statement, said Mr Massey, was tantamount to a suggestion that all machinery of the class named by the Minister is free from duty. The Act of 1907 . affords ready proof that so far as dairying and mining machinery were concerned many articles which were formerly free. are now dutiable. “I can give the Minister a list of those articles of dairying and mining machinery, which are dutiable at the present time.” added Mr. Massey. “If he challenges my criticism, I am prepared to produce such a list in the House.

“I, am not at all surprised, after what has taken place during the last few weeks, to learn that the Minister has boasted that the duty on motor car chasses has been remitted.”