RECIPROCAL TARIFF

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 32, 6 August 1930, Page 10

RECIPROCAL TARIFF

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

Trade between New Zealand and Australia and the question of a reciprocal tariff agreement "between the two countries wcro considered by a committee of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and tho following report was submitted to the council of the chamber last evening and agreed to: —

•'(Surtaxes aJid additions to Australian tariff duties have como into operation since April of this year, and among these is to be noted a primage, duty of 2$ per cent, imposed by the Commonw'calth Government, which has application to products of New Zealand, as well as other countries, entering Australia. Tho tariff amendments now under discussion by the New Zealand Parliament propose that the existing. duties under the tariff agreement with the Commonwealth be retained, and this includes the 2 per cent, primage duty imposed last year; as regards importations from other countries the New Zealand Government proposes to substitute changes in the duties as now levied, and inquiry has been mado of the Comptroller of Customs whether the terms of the reciprocal tariff agremeent are affected by tho variations.

"tfor somo years tho New Zealand Chambers of Commerce have stressed the disparity in trade between the Commonwealth and this Dominion, and anything that tends to increase tho burden of duty upon New Zealand goods entering Australia, «ml conversely a lightening of New Zealand duties upon Australian goods entering the Dominion, will have an influence towards increasing instead of decreasing the adverse trado balance against New Zealand, and these facts are brought; to. the •uoticc of the council."