TARIFF SCHEDULES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 133, 3 December 1930, Page 17

TARIFF SCHEDULES

ANOMALY COMPLAINTS

MANUFACTURERS'. PROBLEM

(Special to "The Evening Post.") CIIEISTCIIUHCH, This Day. . Confirmation of a complaint made at a meeting of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association, that: New Zealand industries were unfairly penalised through British goods containing foreign materials being allowed to enter tho Dominion at. British preferential rates, uhile New Zealand ■ manufac-turers-had to import raw materials under a heavy tariff, was given yesterday by Mr.- B. H. 'Marriner, organiser of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, who stated that several Christchurch firms were handicapped in tho same way. . The Auckland complaint was made through a hat-making concern which had to close down because of the present tariff position. Mr. Marriner said that hat-makers in other towns of the Dominion besides Auckland were in the same unfortunate position, and were now on the point of deciding whether to close their businesses" or not. The New Zealand manufacturers had requested the .Govern ment to alter its tariff schedule to pro vide that to gain the British preferential tariff British manufacturers should guarantee that the percentage of British labour was 75 per cent, instead of 50 per cent., as at present. Australia had formerly stipulated 75' per cent. British labour under its tariff. Mr. Marrinor said that it was stated that a lot of British shoes imported into Now Zealand: had their uppers made in j Czechoslovakia^ and yet were allowed in under tho preierential rate. Then, electrical appliances, with their, parts made in the .United States, were assembled in Canada and brought into Now Zealand as British 'goads. .A'good I deal of British, .imported hosiery and gloves contained foreign materials.. In connection with, hosiery, s'aid i Mr. Mar-. rincr, a lot of articles were coming into Now Zealand from" all parts ;of. the world, including the British Empire, at prices which',the-.New Zealand, manufacturer could not look at. ; OUR MOST SERIOUS COMPETITOR. " England, however,' he'continued; was I New Zealand's most serious competitor: in the hosiery line, arid hosiery from England was being landed iii'tho Dominion as cheaply us at-the rate of Us 5-id a dozen, the prico" with the duty put on:,being 18s>,a dozen.' 'A Christchurch firm could not produce a similar article under 22s 6d a^dozen. In fullfashioned hosiery, America , was New | Zealand's, biggest competitor, but. as there was, no. factory- iv the Dominion :mal<ing ; full-fashioned ; hose, the New Zealand dealers had^-to-.bring in . the white product and ■' have.' it-.'■' coloured here. In the British, hosiery the cotton Was grown in the British Empire, but tho artificial a "was made from Norwegian and Swedish white, pine, which was imported into tho Old Country. Mr. Marriner said, that one Christehureh manufacturer oi' locknit material had had to face competition only in the last four months or so from countries all over the world. Tho Italian product entered at a duty of 15 ■ per cent., but the British paid nothing at all, although there was foreign material in it. In Christchurch £10,000 had been sunk in plant, and work for 100 employees was provided, but ■ if ■ tho I present state of affairs, went on, the New Zealand factory would have to close. The Christchurch factory used the highest grade mercerised cotton1 and the best artificial silk. The Italian goods were landed'in Australia-under a ■duty of 30s a dozen, arid then the cost was SSs, whereas1 it" was" landed in New .Zealand-at:lls 6d a dozen.'. " \'~' ■