Untitled

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 306, 20 September 1921, Page 5

There is at present a proposal before the Australian Federal Parliament to place.a duty of one penny a pound on hides} states an exchange. The proposal was discussed by the representatives of firms interested in tho hide export trade in Auckland. It was stated by one expert that if the proposal was adopted it would mean rather a serious matter for the New Zealand producers, who would have to take a penny a pound less for their hides, as a result of the duty, or lose tho competition of the Australian tanners. This would moan from 3s. to Is. on each hide. In view of the present low price of beef the proposal was a serious ■ matter for the producers. A letter from an Australian firm of hide merchants to the firm’s Now Zealand stated that tho proposal had been introduced into the Federal Senate by a Queensland Senator who, no doubt, was working in tho interests of his own State. On the other hand it was stated flint Australian tanners require about 75 per cent of their own hides for grain work, and Australia could not produce enough suitable hides without drawing on New Zealand. The Australian tanners, therefore, 'were strongly protesting against tho duty being imposed. It was suggested that efforts should bo made to induce tho New Zealand Government to bring pressure to bear on the Federal Government to prevent the duty being imposed. Tho representative of another firm, dealing largely in New Zealand hides, said tho bulk of the hides exported from the Dominion last season went to Australia—probably about GO or "0 per ■- cent. Tho lighter grades only went to America. The imposition of a penny a ' pound duty on hides to Australia would mean a of about Is. a hide to the producer. \IIo added that the impression among Australian hide merchants was that the proposal would not be carried in the Federal Parliament. At the same time there was no doubt that n. vigorous protest from New Zealand would bo entirely in tho interests of tho producers of the Dominion.