Tasman Customs Area

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30529, 26 August 1964, Page 3

Tasman Customs Area

(Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 25i The Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Marshall) has called a meeting of representatives of the forest products industry to discuss. the proposals for including forest products in the limited Tasman free trade area plan.

The meeting is expected to be held in Wellington about mid-September. With his invitations to major firms and organisations such as the Timber Merchants’ Federations, Mr Marshall has forwarded a confidential outline of the proposals. Mr Marshall said this evening he expected subsequently to meet- other industry groups, for similar consultations on various other commodities which might be included in the limited customs union.

“We have promised that those who could be involved will have the opportunity of discussing matters which

affect them before the Government makes any commitments,” said the Minister. “There will be no ministerial talks with Australia until this has been done. This process is time-consuming, But we are not dragging our feet —we are, in fact, pushing on with this as fast as we can.

“It takes time, but the matter is important and in our view must be examined adequately and thoroughly.”

Some commodities within the scheme, as now conceived, do not at present attract duty. In these cases the proposals call more for integration of sectors of industry in New Zealand and Australia. Products now shipped partly-finished, for example, would be completely finished. To this extent, Australian officials are reported to have expressed readiness to help industrial development in New Zealand and to make a start on helping equate transTasman trade.