Printing abroad worries union

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33665, 15 October 1974, Page 27

Printing abroad worries union

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. The increasing numbers of books published in New Zealand and sent overseas for printing is worrying the printers’ union.

The latest issue of the union’s journal, “Imprint,” calls on the Government again to make the industry competitive internationally through concessions or grants.

The printers’ union secre-i tary and “Imprint” editor, Mr i G. C. Ditchfield, said that; New Zealand had the machinery and tradesmen to' handle the work. Cheap labour competition; from overseas made another; inroad into the local printing; industry last month when an! international company produced a book on New Zealand, and printed it in Japan, he said. The photographic magazine, "Auge," was the second major publication lost to local printers in the last few months. The “New Zealand Nature Heritage" publication was also printed in Japan. “The trend is a hard one to fight, particularly since the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr Freer) has turned down another approach from the union and the Master Printers’ Federation for some form of assistance," Mr Ditchfield said. “Mr Freer said when the printing industry had been examined, it was hard to justify a subsidy or protection for one section of it. “In equity to other industries in the same position, it had been decided that the printing industry did not warrant a tax concession or direct subsidy.” The union’s president (Mr W. H. Clement) maintained that educational and other books originating in New Zealand were printed overseas simply to provide greater profits, Mr Ditchfield said. This claim was backed up last month by the announcement of the Wellington company. Price Milbum, Ltd, that it had established a big export market for locally C reduced and printed school ooks. “Hugh Price, of Price Milbum. says that by cooperating with printers on

production schedules the company had been able to match costs in Japan,” Mr Ditchfield said. “Price Milburn’s success is expected to induce other New Zealand publishers to examine the economics of producing solely in New Zealand. But, whether it’s economic or not, some will still be attracted by the vision of larger profits by going overseas and leaving New Zealand printers in the lurch.”