CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 96, 20 October 1933, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—With reference to a letter which appeared in your issue of October 18, from Mr. A. E. Mander, secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, the following extract from the annual report of the Australian Association of British Manufacturers may be of interest to your readers. As has been said before, it is immaterial whether you drown a man in three feet of water or in one foot: — Probably the most serious of all the complaints that are made as to the implementation of the agreement is that which relates to the extent of the reductions recommended by the Tariff Board. There is no doubt that in many instances, owing to the ultra-excessive height of the duties, the reductions recommended have not been sufficient to give British manufacturers a remote chance- of "reasonable competition." Whilst, in my opinion, it is hardly correct to comment through the Press on any matters which are at present being considered by the New Zealand Customs Tariff Commission, at the same time, in justice to my members, I feel I should make the above reply to Mr. Mander's statement.— I am, etc., G. O. SUTTON, Secretary, United Kingdom Manufacturers and New Zealand Representatives' Association. (To the Editor.) Sir, —May I be allowed, through your columns, to draw public attention to a significant sentence in the statement presented to the Tariff Commission by Sir William Hunt on behalf of the Meat Produce Board? I do not wish to" offer any comment on this statement; but I do feel that the public should kno>y what is the declared aim and national ideal of those who lead the attack on New Zealand manufacturing industries. Sir William Hunt declared:— Our aim should be to make New Zealand another British county. In answer to a question aa to whether that sentence really comprised the keynote of his. whole case against the tariff, Sir William declared that it did.—l am, etc., A. E. MANDER.