Minutes of Evidence p.1401-1509 - Parliament of Victoria

Arthur Tilley,
continued,
ilrd lll:ay 1883.
1458
49269. You want the duty upon violet powder increased to 20 per cent. ?-I do not think 20 per
cent. would be sufficient; upon onr raw material we have to pay duty to the extent of 66 per cent., and
violet powder is 10 per cent. now.
49270. What do you pay for starch now ?-For pulverised starch at the rate of 5cl.
49271. That is £46 a ton. How long have you been paying that price ?-For a length of time,
now.
49272. For how long ?-We did, until Messrs. Lewis and Whitty commenced business, pay more for
it than we do at the present time.
49273. Tell us how much ?-I paid as much as 6td. a pound for it.
49274. Buying it wholesale ?-Buying it wholesale.
49275. Would it not pay you to import it, seeing it is sold in London for about £30? -It would cost
us at least £28 per ton in London, the duty upon it is 2cl. direct ; there is the outlay of the money besides
other expenses connected with it. It would pay us far better to buy here undoubtedly, under the present
state of affai1·s.
4927G. Cannot you get the same concession to manufacture in bond that :Mr. Whitty has ?-Unfortunately
there is only a small consumption for this article. It is used merely for the toilet. We employ at
present upon it, a couple of h•cls, perhaps ; if we were protected to a greater extent, or got our raw
material duty free, we might employ three or four more; it is a very minor affair, only I look upon it as a
matter of right that I ought to be placed in a better position.
49277. You admit that you are in a better position since Mr. Whitty commenced ?-Yes.
The witness ~oithdrew.
Josbua Proud,
Srd ~ray 1883.
Joshua Proud sworn and examined.
49278. By the Clwinnctn.-Are you a manufacturer of blacking?-Yes, of charcoal blat:lking and
coal dust.
49279. What do you wish to say in relation to the tariff ?-We are satisfied with it-that is all I
can say. There is only one thing, I believe-that in a good many instances the duty is not paid because
in the list it is put down as ground coal and charcoal, whereas it shoulcl be founders' blacking and coal dust.
They bring it in in a different name, I believe, and never pay any duty at all.
49280. There is a duty of 20 per cent., if it comes under that name-it is just the same duty upon
the one as the other, so altering the name does not evncle the duty ?-But if they bring it in in any other
name it comes in duty free. About eight years ago, when Mr. Cohen was Commissioner of Customs, a lot
of it was brought in here under the headings of coal products. I went and watched the vessel for a week,
ancl got two samples of it, and went to the Custom-house, and the officer there told me it was brought in as
free goods; and when I told him what it was he said I was to write to Mr. Cohen. I did so, and I kept a
copy of the letter, and three weeks afterwards I got a letter to say that the duty of 20 per cent. was paid
upon it, and that we had been misinformed; and the importers laughed at us, an ell found out afterwards that
they got infonnation from the Customs officers, and went and paid the duty. I would like to see it altered.
The ~oitness withdrew.
Emil Gutheil sworn and examined.
Emil Gutlleil, 49281. Ry the C!tairman.-What are you ?-Vinegar manufacturer.
ara l!by 1885 • 49282. Where are your works situated ?-In Prahran.
49283. How many hands are you employing ?-From eight to ten.
4U284. Iu what way does the tariff affect your industry?-We are satisfied with the way it is at
present ; we do not wish it altered.
49285. By Mr. J}fcintyre.-Could not you continue your business if it were altered in any way ?-
No, I do uot think so.
492RG. What induced you to start your business ?-The Gd. duty on vinegar.
49287. When did vou start ?-Twelve vears azo.
49288. And since "that time have you n~t established yom business so well that you can do without
duty ?-The duty was on before ever vinegar-making was established here. It is 3d. in England and 9cl.
in different colonies.
The witness withdrew.
EliasCnnlHf,
3rd Diay 1883.
Elias Cunliff sworn and examined.
49289. By the Clwi1·nwn.-What are you ?-Jam manufacturer.
49290. Where is your factory situated ?-Swanston-street, Melboume.
492!11. Hovv long have you been in the business ?-About ten years.
4D292. How many hands are you employing ?-We have about 60 hands now.
49293. How many had you when you commencecl upon a small scale ?-Just myself and my wife.
49294. How has the tariff affected your industry ?-I think it encourages the industry, as far as I
can see. I clo not wish to alter it.
49295. Is there any alteration in the tariff that you wish to propose ?-I think not.
49296. Do you give employment to other people outside the factory in 8A.ldition to the 60 hands ?
-Yes, a good deal.
49297. In the manufacture oftins ?-We make the tins 11pon the premises.
49298. Do you make the cases upon the premises ?-No, we get them made at Halstead and Kerr's,
the timber merchants. ·
49209. Your labels-are those printed in the colony?-We have them all printed in the colony.
4!1300. Have you any plant used in the trade-any machinery ?-Yes, we have machinery such as
pans and the engine.
49301. Is that made in the colony ?-Yes, it was made in the colony, and we have other plant that
we are expecting out from home. i,Y e could not get it made here-an improved plant. Of course we shall
have to pay, I suppo~e, the usual duty upon it, but we do not object to that.