HIGH COSTS PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 32, 1 November 1932, Page 10

HIGH COSTS PROBLEM

Australian Importer’s Views DUTIES ON BRITISH GOODS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, Oct. 31. The view that both farming and manufacturing costs must come down was expressed by Mr. F. D. Stogdale. an importer of Melbourne, who is returning by the Niagara to Australia after a business trip to Britain, the Continent, the United States, and Canada. “It is ridiculous for us to think we can find overseas markets for goods we produce in the Dominions when our manufacturing costs are so high,” he said. “Our standard of living has got to come down further still if w T e are to compete with other countries whose costs are very much lower.” Mr. Stogdale also expressed the view that the Ottawa Conference had not gone far enough in the direction of securing lower manufacturing and producing costs. The Dominions, for instance, were not in any way reducing the very high duties imposed on British goods. This was hampering the recovery of the Old Country and was helping to maintain an impossibly high standard of living in the Dominions.