TRADE WITH RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 38, 8 November 1933, Page 11

TRADE WITH RUSSIA

Lower Duties Sought TARIFF COMMISSION Foodstuffs and Slippers An opportunity for Russian manufacturers to compete in the New Zealand market on a fair competitive basis was sought by Mr. L. J. Du blou, managing director of L. J. Du liou Ud.. Wellington, in a case presented to the Tariff Commission yesterday. Mr. Du Flou asked for reduction in some cases, and maintenance in others, of the present foreign duties in respect to- the following commodities manufactured in Russia: Chemicals, tobacco, salmon and other tinned nsh (including Kussian sturgeon), guinboots and rubber footwear, china and glassware, leathers, salts, preset veil fruits in juice or syrup, and carpets. r . The Comptroller of Customs, Dr. G. Craig, presided, and associated with hi® were Professor B. E. Murphy, Mr. j, B. Gow and Mr. G. A. Pascoe. > Im regard to preserved fruits, Mr. Du Hou said it was not desired that Russian imports should compete with preserved fruits manufactured in New Zealand, such as apricots and pears. The imports from Russia would comprise cherries, greengages, _ straw-beo-iraes and similar fruits," which were not prepared in New Zealand. Mr. Du Flou said, speaking of china glassware, that if it was really necessary to put a break on Japanese Imports, other measures should be de-, vised without penalising other countries. Professor Murphy: Have you any suggestions as to ‘ what the other measnires should be? Mr. Du Flou: No, it is really outside ■our province." What we do suggest is that goods of equal quality should have an equal chance of being sold. Professor Murphy: Irrespective of where they come from? 'Mr. Du Flea: Yes. I Preserved Foodstuffs. Om behalf of the Food Manufacturers’ Federation (Inc.), London, MrEdwin Salmond asked for a reduction of the present duty on table jellies, custard powder,, soup .squares .and . canned herrings. During the past four years. Mm. Salmond said, there had been a serious decline in the exports of these commodities to New Zealand, accounted for, no doubt, to some extent by the general depression.' but primarily by the combined effect of duty and exchange. Mr, Salmond also asked that canned herrings be placed, on the same footing as tinned salmon. Whereas under the. Bt'iitsdi preferential! tariff canned herrings on impoiiraticm ini© New Zealand bald duty at 2d per lb, representing in itself approximately 41 per cent, at par exchange, he said that fish, putted ar preserved—vlz_, salmon, including Jiqnor, odi, or sauce—was admitted at .-a lower rate of duty of IJd pur lb. * Printed Voile. Representations were made by Mr. A. E. Fitchett, director of Johnson, Garndtt Ltd, to have “Fergcneila” drop stitch printed voile, manufactured by Forgusop Bros. Ltd., Carlisle, England. classed in a daffierentt tar.’f schedule so as to permit entry free of. dtttj;, instead of being subject: to 20. per cent, ad valorem British preferential tmjjff. Mr. Fitdhdtlt said under the preKHitt schedule the duty on the commodity in-question was, he mmler stood, deteniiineil by the Minister of Customs, for the reustm thait tn the process of weaving threads running in the same geneva!] direction had been made to cross one another ait: intervals. New Zealand Slippers. Application was made by New Zealand Slippers Ltd., Wellington, fiotr retention off the present ditties on imported slippers and extension of the tariff to include children's sines trona 8 to fl, whidh an:e now admitted free of "ditty:. Mir. EL. D.. Vickery quoted figures .dhovirng that the production of slippers in New Zealand in 1928,29 was 7,781 pairs, and since :the establishment of the conjjaimy in the following season it Imd increased very considerably with the result that the production during 1931-32 was 806,128 pains. The company., he said., was 'pr.oditueing a large proportion off the slippers matte in New Zealand, and thene was no reason why ail the slippers required locally sibould not be made ffl tlte Dniriiifion. E-xtenStee use was being made of Vhitome spilt, which ras matte out of wlhait was pr.erfatusly a wii-ate pviiduot. The otimptiny’s sffrppgrs ware muiiufadburefl vary largely Draw Xw Zealand prectaette, mclndteg idit, leather, and cow-hate. Hope of Booksellers. Hope I'hat. the time was not far din tout When the primage duty of 8 per ■cent, on books from the UnteM Kingdom would be removed. was expressed’ to the eomnrisSi&B by Mr, <S, H_ Ben-< nett, president of the Associated Booktellers of New Zealand. Retain booksellers were experiencing difficulty in maintaining their business due to the internal! economic situation, he said. • It was submitted that a re-' mission off the primage duty on imjwrts from British sources on the basis off the years 1'930-32, totalling £10.817, ■would be a great help. Importations from' the United Kingdom, comparing the year 1932 with 1930, had fallen away by £128,850!, and importation* from other British sources showed a roductlcui of £21,473, making a iotal of £150,323. There was little doubt that the current year,, due to the adverse exchange, and, if anything, increased shrinkage of purchasing power on the part of the general publie, would show a considerate reduction on the 1932 figuuea. Duty on Corkboard. A reply to an application made earlier in the sittings for a duty on foreign corkboard was made by Mr. A. 8. Mitchell, consulting engineer and architect, He said that corkboard was already heavily handicapped in competition) with -pumice, which it had largely te recent years owing to Its higher efficleney and smaller bulk for a given duty. The qualities of corkboard imported into New Zealand showed little difference in clficlency, and any increase in the landed cost would react unfavourably upon the cost of premises for the chief primary Industries, as well as upon the cost of domestic refrigerators, for which use corkboard had no New Zealand substitute. ____________ Pot-holes near the entrance of the Mount Victoria tunnel are said by City Council engineers to have been caused try water dripping from the top of tho tunnel op to the bitumen asphalt before it was properly sot, It is thought that the water will eease dripping in pbout a month's time and the work of yepeiring th® damage will then be put in hand.