ENGINEERING TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1933, Page 17

ENGINEERING TRADE

TARIFF ASSISTANCE ASKED

HIGHER PRODUCTION COSTS

(By Telegraph.—Press, association.) CHEISTCHUKCH, October 4. Bepresentatives of the engineering trade asked tlie Tariff Commission today for increased protection against j overseas competitors, or, in some items, retention of the present duties. In a few items a reduction of the duty, ivas sought.' ■ Frank Ncthertoii' Lawrence, rcjircsenting- Andcrsoii's'j -Ltd., asked for increased'duties 011 foreign power-driven churns, butter packers, butter pounders, and cheese presses. The tariff at present is, British1 fr'eeyforeign'2o per cent., and Australian-free. -Mr. Lawrence asked for an increase, to 25 per cent. foreign. On Diosel' and semi-Diesel engines the present scale is-British free, foreign 25 per cent., and Australian free, and he proposed a scale of 20, 45, and 20 pqr cent; rospectiyely. On oil engines'the1 present, scale is' 25, 50, and 15 per cent., and he proposed 20, 50, and 15 per cent.. Ho also asked for the

removal of all duties on unsawn clear j pine, sugar pine, and teak. ■■ Supporting his claims, Mr. Lawrence argued that there was need in tho country for a sound engineering industry, which was the servant of all other industries. He contended that there was ample scope for efficient engineering units in the Dominion, but that they could carry on only if assisted by a tariff which would be sufficient to equalise the higher production costs in this country compared with those in the United , Kingdom and elsewhere.'. His firm was of tho opinion that in normal trading conditions an ad valorem duty of 20 per cent, was the minimum; required'to enable tho engineering, industry to. .survive..