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The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3632959
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THE TARIFF REMISSIONS.
THE DEBATE RESUMED
CASE FOR THE MINING INDUSTRIES
SECOND READING CARRIED.
The debate on the second reading of the Customs Duties bill in the Legis- lative Assembly was resumed last even- ing by
Mr. McDONNELL, who said he was a moderate protectionist He believed in encouraging young industries ; but when industries were encouraged for years by a high tariff, and it was found that they were not successful, it was unfair to penalise those who required the products of such industries. He thought that machinery aud agricul- tural implements, which could not be made in the colony, should be let in free, but that the artisan« of the towns should not be sacrificed for the benefit of the agriculturists. Ile feared that the encouragement the bill received would mean that the protective policy of the colony would be undermined, and that Queensland would be thrown open to cheap foreign labour. The Protec- tionist League did not seem prepared to defend their position, as no com- munication had been received from thom. He held that neither in pro- tection nor in free-trade would the sal- vation of the 'workers be fouud. In the protected industries the workers re- ceived very little (benefit. The boot manufacturers were working largely with boy labour, and sweating in the clothing trade arose with protection for that trade. If (he workers received fairer treatment from those controlling the protected industries, he thought pro- tection would finid moro favour. Ile could not understand why raw cotton
was to be admitted free. The Govern- ' ment were supposed to be doing all they could for agriculture, and, as the cotton industry was making fair progress, 5t
was a very left-hand way to encourage \ that industry to take off the duty on the imported article. He thought that several lines on the tariff might be ad-
justed. While voting for the second i reading, he would oppose placing on the .
free list any article which could be j
made in the colony to advantage, and t at a cost proportionate with that of the imported article. If the farmers wished to have markets within the colony, they should be prepared to even pay a little more for their requirements in order that the people of the towns might
purchase.
Mr. FINNEY said be was- a free-
trader. Everyone by instinct was a free-trader. Nevertheless lie was will- ing to eucourage manufacturers with- out placing intolerable burdens on the people at large. If an elaborate sys- tem of protection was built up, it was built up at the cost of the many for the benefit of the few. The action of tbe Government was a step in the right direction. If people in Queensland bad to pay much more for goods here, a little higher wages were not of much use. The absence of duties in New Soutb Wales would be a great induce- ment for Queensland people to* take a trip to Sydney and make their pur- chases there. Smuggling, be was con- vinced, was being carried on to a con- siderable extent He was pleased to see tbat tbe farmers were likely to be largely benefited by the passing of the bill. The miners and the gimiera would also be able to buy goods to better advantage than in the past. He thought tbe Government had gono as far as they could at the present time, but be boped that, as prosperity in- creased in the colony, duties on articles of everyday use would bo reduced or wholly remitted. There was room for induction of duties in clothing lines. Ile mentioned blankets especially. The industries in Maryborough were giving employment to a large number of people, and he considered that Uie Go- vernment should see that these indus- tries were not destroyed by the duties being remitted to such an extent as to do that There was an anomaly in the duty on towels, which, if woven in a piece, were admitted at 5 per cent duty, but if fringed wore called upon to pay a duty of 23 per cent. It was surely absurd that mosquito nets should liave to pay duty of 15 per cent He boped such anomalies as those he liad pointed out would be remedied. " Mr. SIM congratulated the Govern- ment on baying introduced the bill, and expressed the hope that the 'Ministry would progress in the good work until the colony possessed a policy of free trade. He hoped the arguments ad- vanced by mining members would be taken into consideration and acted upon tbis session. Ile was glad that so large a measure of relief bad been given to tbe agriculturists, but it should not be forgotten that other classes of industry were of no less value to the colony, especially in view of the large imports of agricultural produce. In the North of Queensland nearly every person was an absolute free-trader. No protectionist could successfully contest a constituency in the Northern portions of the colony. They were told that protection must be given to industries in the South, as these could not be conducted on the ordinary commercial lines. The miners would require to carry on their industry under great difficulties so long as excessive duties were levied on the machinery which was necessary for their work. The gold output was much restricted because of the duty on machinery ; and a great in- justice was being done to the second largest industry in the colony. Were the mining industry of North Queens- land properly encouraged, ten times the number of men would be employed. The Hodgkinson goldfield was neglected because of the unfair conditions under which the miners had to work, and so it was with other fields in the North. He was quite satisfied that when the oppressive duties on mining machinery were removed the gold industry in the North would be developed to a fabulous extent. The miner had to meet the tax-gatherer at every turn. The mining industry should have been given more consideration than it had been in the measure under consideration. The Treasurer no doubt thought he was con- ferring a great boon on the miners when be removed the duties ft om rock drills and air compressors. He did not sup- pose that north of Charters Towers there was either a rock drill or an air compressor at work. What the miners wanted was relief from the duties on machinery they really required. As far as the relief to tho mining In- dustry under the bill was concerned, it would only be in the towns of Char- ters Towers and Gympie, and not in the fields to which he had referred. He was glad that other industries had been relieved, and ho trusted that in the future the Treasurer would take the remarks of mining members into his
consideration.
Mr. DALRMYPLB said the mining
industry had been considered in the past in regard to the duties on explo- sives, and hi the free list before them the miners were also considered. He was glad to see on the list several articles in connection with the agricul- tural industry. Castor oil in bulk was used as à lubricator to machinery, and sulphide of carbon was used in de- stroying insect pests. Both these were found on the free list. He found also that the Government had made conces- sions in regard to appliances in con- nection with tram lines, which would be of benefit to the sugar industry.
?Mr. DUNSFOUD (thought that the bill was a recognition by the Govern- ment in' regard to the commodities men- tioned in the list that indirect taxation had proved a failure and a stumbling block to certain industries. The Go- vernment were only willing, it appeared, to keep up that .system while revenue was required from it. If mining ma- chinery and appliances used in the ex- traction of gold were freed from duties, reefs would be worked at a profit which were not payable now. He would have liked to see the duties taken off articles of food which were largely consumed on the goldfield», but ho supposed that too much could not be expected all at once.
Mr. M'GAH'AN wari of opinion that, instead of £1 per ton duty being taken off flour, as was advocated by some members, au additional duty of 10s. per ton ought to be placed on the im- ported article. The duty did not in I crease the price of the poor man's loaf. Something ought to bo done to stimulate 1 tlie tobacco industry by the removal of
the excise duty in whole or in part. He hoped the free list would come into operation as soon as possible.
Mr. GRIMES acknowledged the kind way in which the agriculturists had been treated in the bill. It was neces- sary to encourage the producing in- terests, and to stimulate the agrlcul | tural industry by giving farmers at the
lowest possible cost the most improved implements and machinery. He was of opinion that the measure was a step , in the right direction, and he would be
glad to see Uie time when a still larger remission of duties would be made.
Mr. PHILP, in reply, congratulated members on the 'good temper displayed during the debate, and the Treasurer I on the encomiums which had been i showered upon him in connection with I tine introduction of the b.ll. Some tof
the mining representatives complained that tlie industry 'had not been treated überally enough. The Treasurer, as he had pointed out before, could only spare £50,000, and lie thought, as did the otiher imembers of the Ministry, that talcing the duties off the articles enu
nierated was the best that could be done du tflie interest« of the colony as a Whole. All must recognise that the primary industries were the backbone of the colony, and tlhát these industries -agricultural, mining, and pastoral must havo first consideration. He was sorry that |the mining member« were dissatisfied ; but the oreason of so few articles connected with mining being placed on the free list was that so few mining materials were previously taxed. Complaints were unade that en- gines and boilers were not placed on tile free list All engines and boilers were taxed, it did not «matter in what industry employed, because that ma- chinery could be made in the colony, os good and as cheap as could be imported. Something had been said about pros- pecting machinery, but ho had never known a prospector to start out to look for (gold with a prospecting plant on ibis back. He was a free-trader, and would like to see all duties done awuv with ; but ne osked bow the colony would bo governed if the Treasure" was deprived of Irevenue by the remission of all Customs duties just at present. He ¡thought every unprejudiced person must admit that all portions of the community had beeu fairly dealt with under the bill. The debate 3iad really cuituinated iii a war'are betweea the numbers for .(Ma/y'norougüi and the anuug members. He would Um? io print out to Mr. Aiuicar thai* he coia mcuced by telling <!i«>m how prosperous the irorifounders were, the bridges they were building, Mho sugar-mills they were erecting, &c, but that was all on account of the policy of the Govern- ment. With alj the large bridges made under Government supervision, the stipulation ¡liad always been made that the raw material only must be im- ported, and that all the week nnust be done iii the colony, irrespective of duty altogether. The ouly persons who had locomotives made in the colony had been the Government, and they would -continue to have them so made, whether there was any duty or not, so long as they «could get them made at a reasonable price. The loco- motives intended to be free were the small engines usdd by private people. He (believed it would always be the policy of Governments to get their loco- motives built in the colony ; and taking off the 25 per cent would not affect the Government work at all. He read last night that Walkers Limited, which he believed was the finest foundry in Aus- tralia, was supplying a small loco- motive to a sugar planter in Mackay. They were importing it themselves from England, and it would be a relief to them to get it free of duty. He did not believe tihe remission would affect the mechanics in Maryborough one îota. If it did affect a few, he did not think they should grumble, because by allow- ing agricultural, mining, an'd other ma- chinery in ¡free, they would cause work for ten times the number of tuen that might be displaced. It was a standing disgrace that 600,000 tons of farm pro- duce iwas being imported into the colony at the present time. If by making implements free they could in- duce so much more land to be tilled, they ought to do so. He looked for- ward at an early date to growing suffi- cient wheat for the colony, and export- ing it as well. As to sulphuric acid, a great point had been made of that by mining members ; but it could be sup- plied as cheaply from Brisbane as it could be imported from the other colo- nies. They had the signature oí a respectable firm on the matter, and if t!he firm broke faith with the Govern- ment, the House could pass a small bill taking the duty off the article. If he was Minister for 'Mines at the time, he would see that such was done. Re- garding Ingot tin there was a little pro- tection afforded to a email Indus- try in North Queensland in that respect, and it would be a pity to allow it lu free. Before it was put on the tariff nobody used Queensland tin, as they said it was not ?ood enough. He thought wool-presses ought to be made in the colony. Up to the extent of £50,000 there would be no serious objections to remitting the duty on any small Items that could not be made in the colony. He was sorry Mr. Sim thought the Government ¡had not done much for mining. Sinco be lad been in the House any measures o' relief for miners had always been well met by both sides. The Govem saent could not entertain tbe nropoeal
to add snell large Items to the Met m the remission of duty on tea, kerosene, galvanised iron, and Hour. Some articles they might allow in free from the 1st October, and oxtend the date for other articles, say. to the 1st April, next year.
The second reading of the bill was agreed to on the voices, and Its com- mittal made an Order of the Day for Tuesday next
Sir HUGH NELSON stated that would be the business for Tuesday.
ADJOUttXMENT.
The Iloiirie adjourned at 0.20 until Tuesday next