INDUSTRIES AND THE TARIFF

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 148, 26 June 1933, Page 8

INDUSTRIES AND THE TARIFF

(To the Editor.)

g; rj —Much violent propaganda is nowbeing put out by interested parties who have launched a campaign to rush the Government, 'without waiting for the' report of the Royal Commission, info making "an immediate reduction of Customs duties on British goods; to' We followed .by further annual reductions.-until all duties on British goefds disappear."" In using these words, I am .quoting Sir \Yilliam Hunt,

managing director of Wright, Stephenson's, Ltd., ami vice-president of the New Zealand Employers'- Federation. It will be recollected that Sir. William Hunt was probably the most powerful ami persistent advocate of high exchange. The idea seems to be that high exchange has prejudiced the New Zealand exporter in the British market; and Sir William Hunt and the Farmers' Union now wish to counteract this result, not by abolishing the high exchange, but by a massacre of New Zealand's .manufacturing.industries. A Royal Commission is thoroughly and systematically investigating the whole matter of industries and the tariff. Sir William 'Hunt, Mr, Goodfellow, and .their associates have, the opportunity of appearing before this,- Commission and giving evidence. The New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation regards the whole question as being "sub .ludiee," and will not ■,make any reply to hostile propaganda while the Royal Commission as holding its inquiry. We are content to have the question judged by competent and responsible men,; who are''entrusted with the task of obtaining and'investigating the facts. ;'■■ To these gentlemen whq. are. conducting •.propaganda hostile to'manufacturing industries^ .we. can. only make .the suggestion that, instead- of merely standing outside and giving the benefit of their, advice to the Government and Commissioners from afar off, they should come forward to make their statements in the place where the validity and value of '■' such' . statements can bo examined. —I am, etc., A. E. MANDER, General Secretary, 1 N.Z. Manufacturers' Federation.