BATTERIES FROM HONG KONG

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28128, 17 November 1956, Page 3

BATTERIES FROM HONG KONG

“Dismay” At Comment By Minister

MANUFACTURERS’ BODY ISSUES STATEMENT

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. November 18.

“The New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation is very concerned at tha lack of any policy statement by the Government or the Board of Trade about safeguards for New Zealand industries against imports from low-cost countries of the East.” said Mr A. R. Dellow, general secretary of the federation. when commenting on the import of dry-cell batteries from Hong Kong.

“Under the Ottawa Agreement, imports from these cheap-labour countries carry no higher rate of duty than do imports from the United Kingdom, though in many cases the Eastern prices are orily about half, with the result that neither New Zealand nor the United Kingdom manufacturers can compete with them," he said. “For this reason the federation was dismayed to read the comment by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr E. H. Halstead). “The Government has repeatedly stated that industries will receive proper protection against imports from low-cost countries.

“At a tariff inquiry as far back as August, 1952, this federation made comprehensive tariff submissions and asked for a definite line of action.” Mr Dellow said. “It said that thought New Zealand should trade with these countries it must be on a basis of equalling costs by tariff or else under quantitative control by licensing. “No definite policy has been declared since that time, and the Minister now suggests that the matter should again be placed before the Board of Trade in the course of the general tariff review. The federation has already done this, but in the meantime imports are still coming in. to the detriment of sound New Zealand industries. No corrective action has been taken, and it looks like a case of this year, next year, some time, never.”