ANOTHER VIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 300, 20 December 1938, Page 13

ANOTHER VIEW.

IMPORT QUESTION. MANUFACTURERS' REPLY. "NOT OUSTING BRITAIN." Denial of the allegation made by importers in a statement published yesterday, that tlie new import policy was an attempt to "oust the British manufacturer" from tlio Dominion market, is contained in a statement made this morning by the Auckland Manufacturers' Association. "Prom the utterances previously emanating from the Bureau of Importers against manufacturing industries in New Zealand one can understand," it is stated, "the misinterpretation of the Bureau of Importers of the attitude of manufacturers towards recent Government regulations. "Nothing can be further from the truth than that manufacturers intend to oust the British manufacturer from the Dominion market. It is obvious that tlio Bureau of Importers is more anxious about imports generally than tiie English exporter. Its members have previously complained against restrictions for Belgian imports, and their consistent policy is to advocate tlio right to import into New Zealand goods from any country, bo it Germany, Italy or Japan, provided they can be imported at a lesser price than they can be manufactured ill the Dominion. "If the Bureau of Importers will declare that they are not concerned with imports from countries other than Britain they "will be approaching very nearly to the policy of ■ local manufacturers," the statement proceeds. "That policy is to accord preference wherever possible to British manufacturers, as' against all other manufacturers in countries other than New Zealand. It is a peculiar twist of reasoning on the part of the bureau to construe this as being an attempt to oust the British manufacturer. 1

"It is easy for the Bureau of Importers. to, drag forward the aweinspiring word 'Ottawa* and to claim that the principles of this famous agreement are 'involved,' which is a very different thing from transgressed. One of tlio obligations of the New Zealand Government " under this agreement was to exempt United Kingdom goods from the application of the 9-40tli surtax. This has been done. , "The New Zealand Government also undertook to protect by tariff only those industries which are reasonably assured of sound opportunities for success," the statement concludes. "What constitutes sound opportunity and \£bat constitutes success is not defined, and it is no part of the Manufacturers' Association to enter into these niceties of definition. "One thing,, however, is certain. The New Zealand Government has given a much more favourable interpretation to tlio terms of 'Ottawa' that has either the Canadian or Australian Government. For example, Australian duties for woollen piece s goods, apparel, hats, hosiery, footwear and hardware after they had been reduced in * compliance with 'Ottawa' were still 50 per cent to 200 per cent-higher than the New Zealand rates Before any reduction had. been made.'' . . '