Opposition To Duty On Australian Fish Imports

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30126, 9 May 1963, Page 21

Opposition To Duty On Australian Fish Imports

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 8. Opposition to an attempt by the Australian Fishermen’s Co-operative, Ltd., to have duty imposed on fish imported by Australia, has been suggested to the New Zealand Department of Indus-

; tries and Commerce by a big . New Zealand fish exporting firm. i At a recent meeting, the ■ Australian Fishermen’s Co- ■ operative, Ltd., made plans

to approach the Tariff Board with a case ' for protection from fish imports. State representatives ait the meeting decided to collect 10s from each fisherman in their area who desired to support the cause. The money would be used to meet the cost of presenting and preparing a case to go before the Tariff Board.

At the end of May, each State was instructed to gauge the urgency of a case for tariff protection by the response to the financial appeal. If the response within any State was insufficient its representatives could withdraw from the approach. A fish exporting firm has written to the Department of Industries and Commerce with the request that New Zealand commissioners in Australia obtain any particular they could of the proposed application and report back to the department.

“We would suggest that New Zealand must oppose such an application when made to the Australian Tariff Board.”

The New Zealand firm said the Australian body was making a nation - wide approach to fishermen to prepare and present a case and it was said that the decisions reached by the Fishermen’s Co-operative would probably be implemented. At present, New Zealand fish entered Australia totally free of duty of any kind. The firm said that although the United Kingdom, European, and South African exporters to Australia did pay a small duty, it was not very significant.

The firm said that it had passed copies of its letter to the secretary of the New Zealand Wholesale Fish Merchants’ Association, Ltd., and the New Zealand Federation of Fishermen.