Ariki determined to fight Govt decision

Press, 22 March 1986, Page 7

Ariki determined to fight Govt decision

Blenheim reporter The management and staff of Ariki Industries are determined to fight the decision by the Minister of Customs, Mrs Shields, to lift the paua shell export restrictions. The general manager of the company, Miss Kathy Bellamy, said in Blenheim that the Minister’s decision was contrary to recent assurances given by her and by the Minister of Overseas Trade and Marketing, Mr Moore.

Miss Bellamy said that in July, 1984, Mr Moore advised the company that his Government supported the added value of this resource. The export of basic shell which did not have the local market industry could go ahead. The message received from Mr Moore concluded with this assurance: “No

decision could be made without your input Your industry is excellent You do a great job employing our people.”

Miss Bellamy said that in September, 1984, at a meeting with the directors of Paua Shell Exchange, Ltd, Mrs Shields affirmed her support for the controls that applied to the export of paua shell. “The Minister has now said that the annual shell harvest exceeds local manufacturers’ requirements. She has omitted that local manufacturers’ requirements together with the requirements of the Korean furniture inlay industry do fully utilise the annual shell harvest,” she said.

The inlay industry is complementary to New Zealand manufacturers and the controls on ex-

ports to Korea have safeguarded this country’s paua products industry. “We • now fully expect that shell already in Korea which was sent for inlay use is now being redirected to jewellery manufacture,” Miss Bellamy said.

She said the Government must delay immediately the implementation of the Minister’s decision for at least two years to enable the industry to restructure and reorganise to compete against lowcost competition from Taiwan and Korea.

"Paua shell is a unique resource to New Zealand. Surely it should be used to the best advantage of New Zealand, not to the advantage of the manufacturers in Asia,” she said.