Imported books come under fire

Press, 20 April 1981, Page 10

Imported books come under fire

PA Auckland A . plea for protection against imported books was made at the opening of the Printing Industries Federation' annuaf conference. The federation’s president, Mr E. J. Dawes, said protection was needed regardless.of the fact that the industry’s’ ’ basic raw material grew virtually at the front door of the paper mills, which exported a substantial part qf their production. “After numerous inquiries, - Committees, and’- the : like spanning, a successive; governments have • de- ■ .clined even’ token suppor t Tor .our ailing book-printing sector,” Mr Danes’ said; “Imports attract no. duty because of international-tar- .

iff agreements and thus the large majority of books commissioned by New . Zealand . publishers carry Asian iih/prints.; “New Zealand publishers freely- admit- that the printing expertise and plant are available right here but our prices -are not competitive,” ’he, said: •’ ’ international competitiveness depended on access to raw materials at prices enjoyed by the opposition. ’ Coated • paper had to be Imported by New Zealand printers and they bore freight costs from up to half way round the world, Mr Dawes said. But even when locally produced uncoated grades were used, he. said, the New Zealand firm competed at a

disadvantage, compounded by,outward freight cpsts;G “New Zealand: newsprint is a major contributor to export earnings, to the extent that many of our newspapers are. currently restricted in content and profitability by’ what amounts to a rationing system,” Mr Dawes said, j General job printing had! been the area hardest hit by the , economic recession, he. said., .... z. ■■ ■.j;. - Increasing competition for, a share in- a declining market had brought reduced profits. - , However, orders for multi- 5 colour business presentations and glossy publications — “the top end, of the market” — had held up reasonably well, he said. I