IMPORTS AND LOCAL GOODS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31086, 15 June 1966, Page 22

IMPORTS AND LOCAL GOODS

Was it right to exclude an imported product because someone was making one locally, and waiting three or four years to find out whether it was any good? asked Professor J. R. Burton, director of the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute.

Professor Burton raised this question during a meeting of the Canterbury Engineering Club, when questions on import licensing were being answered by the member of Parliament for St. Albans (Mr H. J. Walker), and an executive officer of the Import Licensing Division (Mr T. B. Pound).

At the club’s May meeting, it had been suggested the Minister of Customs should have a panel of expert advisers on machinery imports. In a letter read last night, the Minister (Mr Shelton) said that the Departments of Agriculture, Scientific and Industrial Research and Works were consulted regularly in consideration of import control policy. Referring to -the Minister’s letter, Professor Burton said that although the answers sounded impressive, they were of little use. “What experts are there in the D.5.1.R., the Ministry of Works, or the Department of Agriculture?—not too many,” he said. “Is it right to exclude an imported product because

someone is making a similar one locally, and waiting three or four years before finding whether it is any good?” he asked.

“Should we not take things a stage further to see whether they are any good? I could show you a whole file of complaints from farmers about i local machinery.” Mr Walker replied that he thought the D.S.I.R. could be regarded as expert. One had only to visit its laboratories at Gracefield. Mr Walker said that when he brought a team of parliamentarians to Lincoln shortly he would see that representatives of the Department of Industries and Commerce were included to get an insight into what was going on at the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute. Mr Pound said that the institute would be consulted for expert advice when required. When the meeting was discussing the “quantity and quality” of New Zealandmade goods, Professor Burton said he did not think the important question had been answered —what steps were taken to show that the local manufacturer could produce the suitable goods. Mr Walker replied that he felt the local manufacturer, given the chance, could “produce the goods.” He also pointed out that neither he nor Mr Pound were experts in machinery, as many of the audience were.