EVIDENCE FOR GOVERNMENT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 10

EVIDENCE FOR GOVERNMENT

COMPETITION FROM OVERSEAS CASE BEING PREPARED FOl MANUFACTURERS Evidence of unfair competition from overseas being encountered by New Zealand industries has been prepared by the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association for submission to the Government. At the recent conference of the Manufacturers' Federation held in Wellington the Minister for Industries and I Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, i told the representatives that the Government's promise that "industry would not be let down" when called upon to carry increased production costs would be honoured, but that definite evidence was wanted in cases where manufacturers claimed that they were unable to compete with importations. Mr T. Hyde, secretary of the association, said yesterday that the Government had made its promise at the time of introducing increased costs of production with the amendments to the Factories Act and the Finance Act. Manufacturers contended that the introduction of any measures to place New Zealand manufacturers relatively on the same basis as overseas competitors should have synchronised with that legislation. Nothing toward introducing such legislation had yet been done by the Government. The association had taken the Minister at his word in asking for definite evidence, Mr Hyde continued, and gathered definite information of unfair competition with specific local industries from overseas. This evidence was to be presented to the Government immediately. The matter was of extreme urgency to manufacturers because new importing channels were becoming more firmly established day by day. •