IMPORT BARRIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 262, 6 November 1939, Page 3

IMPORT BARRIERS.

SEPARATORS-SHEARING

PLANT.

INDUSTRY MUCH CONCERNED.

(From Our Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH. Saturday. Restrictions placed on the importation of farming machinery--part icularly cream separators and shearing plant— have caused importers and others in the industry grave concern. This view was stated in an interview bv one of the principal importers of farming machinery in Canterbury. The dairy industry apparently relies for most of its supplies of separator.-, on importations from Sweden, but these have been drastically curtailed Shearing machinery has been reduced by 100 per cent, the ban including spare parts. The vital spare parts, it is claimed, cannot be made in New Zealand. Representations have been made to the Government, but no concessions have so far been made.

"There is a cut of 50 per cent in. Swedish separating machines," the importer stated. "The dairy industry is> the largest in the Dominion and it is a bad thing to deprive it of half its supplies of high-grade quality machines. The Swedes have great aptitude in the manufacture of dairy machinery.

"Shearing machines have been prohibited 100 per cent from all countries, including spare parts, although the wool industry is the second in importance ip the Dominion. At a time when great stress is being laid on the building up of production, the Government prohibits the importation of machines for shearing and so hampers the industry."