IMPORTERS' INTERESTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 261, 3 November 1932, Page 5

IMPORTERS' INTERESTS.

AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION - . TARIFF AND CURRENCIES. A meeting of the Auckland Importers' Association, Ltd., held at the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon, and presided over by Mr. Hugh Thomson, confirmed the action of the directors in making possible affiliation with the New Zealand Importers' Federation. Mr. A. M. Seaman, secretary, who has just returned from the South, said that importers in the three leading cities were alive to the importance of federation. In Christchurch, however, the belief was held that they could function better there through the Chamber of Commerce without forming a separate body. The meeting passed a vote of appreciation of the services of Mr. Gainor Jackson in placing before the Government important facts in relation to the difficulties affecting imports and duties. Tliis report dealt with the assessment of values for duty purposes from countries with relatively appreciated currencies (United Kingdom, South Africa and Canada), and those with relatively depreciated currencies (Japan and Australia) in terms of the currency operating in New Zealand. It stated, that the method adopted by the Customs. Department of assessing duties was proving an insuperable barrier to trade on the one hand and was reducing Customs revenue on the other. Suggestions were made with the object of avoiding the dumping of Japanese goods in the New Zealand markets. Other matters referred to were the advisability of remitting the surtax on goods from all British countries, anomalies in the Australian reciprocal tariff and trade restrictions and embargoes. The Government is urged to adopt the mint parity of exchange (instead of bank rate) for duty purposes on goods from all countries, as increased trade would follow duty revenue increase, and there would be more certainty and confidence in trading and consequently more employment.