HIGHER DUTIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 204, 30 August 1933, Page 5

HIGHER DUTIES.

SEVERAL REQUESTS.

TARIFF'S COMMISSION'S TASK.

IMPORTED PAPER TWINES.

An increase of 30 per cent all round in the duties on imported kraft paper twines over the present tariffs of 20 per cent British and 40 per cent and 9-40ths foreign, was asked Tor before the Tariff ■Commission this morning. The representations were made by Mr. W. E. Johns, manager of the New Zealand Reed Loom Co., Ltd. "The local product made from imported paper pulp is slowly supplanting wagrass, cane and raffia in New Zealand schools," said Mr. John?. "The pulp is imported from Canada and the string is made in Auckland." Professor B. K. Murphy: Why do you need as much as r>o per cent protection against British twine? Mr. Johns: We are Up against competition in the East, where coftts arc much lower. Professor Murphy: But you want 50 per cent against the English product. Mr. Johns: Their costs are lower, too, because their factories arc usually near to the pulping mills. > Professor Murphy read Article VII. of the Ottawa agreement and asked the witness why, if the local industry were economic, it was necessary to have such high protection. Mr. Johns: They arc able to turn out unlimited quantities in Britain at mass production prices. There is no country in the- world that can compete with New Zealand in the growing of good pulping wood. I understand that finances have been arranged for pulping factories as soon ae trees are ready. Mr. G. A. Pa<=coe: Has it been estab- ] lished that pulping can be done economiIcally in this country! Mr. Johns: They cannot be sure of that until they are actually in operation. Mr. Pascoe: You are prepared to take that risk? Mr. Johns: Yes. We h-ve had 30 people employed in Aiiekhmd on this industry, and" thousands of people arc taking up work in this material in preference to cane and seagrass, as it is easier, more fascinating and cheaper, j Other Items. I As most of the requisites of electroplaters were imported free of duty, Mr. W. E. Hedditch, manager of the Auckland Electro-Plating Co., asked that the present duty of 20 per cent British and 45 per cent foreign be abolished. He showed that landing charges in one instance brought the cost up from £8 7/11 in England to £17 11/9 in store here. Other products for which he desired free entry were scratch brushes, chromium polisher and emery abrasive. In view of competition from Czechoslovakia and Germany in wax-board containers, Mr. A. C. Nordern, on behalf of United Dairies, Ltd.. England, asked for the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on the foreign and Australian product. At present there was no duty imposed, and he sought a maintenance of free entry for the English containers. An increase in the protective duty on powder puiTs was requested by Mr. F. E. Little, manager of E. B. Tolley and Co., who explained that local manufactures worked under a higher cost of efficient and economic production than the United Kingdom. There was also competition from France, Germany, Japan and- the United States. The present duties were: British 20 per cent, foreign 45 per cent and Australian 20 per cent. He su2gested an increase to 25 per cent and CO per cent respectively on the first two, the Australian tariff to remain the same. Motor Car Springs. An increase in the tariff on undercarriage springs and spring steel for motor cars was suggested by Mr. R. P. Williams, spares manager of Cavanagh and Co. The present duties on the former product are: —British free, foreign 25 per cent and Australian free. He asked that increases be made to 10 per cent, 40 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. On spring steel the present duties were British free, foreign 20 per cent, and Australian free. The suggested adjustments were free, 25 . per cent and 25 per cent respectively. Steel Pipes. ■ Protection was asked against imported steel and wrought iron pipes ■ from -Jin to 2in in diameter, embracing water, gas, steam and electric conduit i pipes, by' Mr. G. Cain, managing director of the New Zealand Steel Pipe and j Tank Co., Ltd. At present the British imports were duty free, and there was ' a general tariff of 20 per cent, and the i request was made that 20 per cent be imposed on English,' 40 per cent on foreign and 30 per cent on Canadian ; and Australian. His company proposed i to purchase their machinery from Eng- , land for manufacturing the pipes. In ; reply to Professor Murphy, Mr. Cain • said that his company would be able to ■ supply from 40 per cent to 50 per cent ! of the New Zealand market from the works. Grape Juice and Lysol. Mr. A. F. L. Tindall, manager of . Bright Star Products Company, Ltd.. sought a revision of tariffs on grape ; juice and on lyeol. At present the duties . on imports of grape juice are 20 per i cent British, 40 per cent foreign and 2C • per cent on Australian. It was asked that increases be made to 50 per cent in all cases. Increases in the present general tariff of 10 per cent on lyso) were asked. British and Australian at present were free. The suggested impositions were British 25 per cent, general and Australian, 50 per cent. "We manufacture a number of lines among which is lyeol," said Mr. Tindall. "Lysol is chiefly imported from Britain I in bottles, the contents and containers both being admitted free, although the imported bottles naturally enter intc competition with our local bottle manu- '. facturers. Imports can be landed at any ' of the chief ports of New Zealand at the same rate of freight, whereas we have to pay freight on goods supplied tc \ other parts of the Dominion outside of 1 Auckland." Rubber Goods. In nearly every instance of rubber ■ manufactured articles imported from : Britain there was no duty, said Mr. G. . W. C. Eeid, managing director of Reid , N.Z. Rubber Mills, Ltd., although foreign tariffs ranged from free entry to 50 per cent. He enumerated the Hues which his company would be able r.o manufacture in New Zealand if a t:iriff of 50 per cent " were imposed on imports fro-.r. any other source than England. He believed that the company could operate without, the ) protection provided by the exchange ; rate, as they were near the source of 1 rubber supply. Their int<>"*'-i ■«••«« {•' import raw rubber and submit it to all ' processes necessary to the finished ' nrfinlp ill til IS COUIIUT.