TARIFF INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 111, 7 November 1933, Page 5

TARIFF INQUIRY

ENGLISH HADIO SETS

MANUFACTURERS' CASE

Yesterday afternoon the Tariff Com-1 mission heard two cases on behalf of importers and three on behalf of local manufacturers. Evidence in rebuttal of evidence given previously at Auckland, when tcquests for an, increased duty on radio icta imported from, the United Kingdom were made, was given by Mr. F. H. Fitt, on behalf of the English radio manufacturers. In quoting a recommendation of the Committeo of Methods of Economic Cooperation set up by the Ottawa Conference, Mr. Pitt said this was surely not -in keeping with the object of the local manufacturers who were seeking by means of tariffs to drive the United Kingdom manufacturer out of the New Zealand market, and thus deprive the New Zealand people of tho benefits of the scientific achievements and engineering skill of the English radio. industry. The radio industry was one of the major industries in the .United Kingdom today, Mr. Fitt said, and it would be a serious thing if the United: Kingdom treated one of our • major: exporting industries in a similar manner. If the tariff requests made on behalf of five Auckland firms were granted, ho would say definitely that tho United Kingdom manufacturer would lose what footing he had on the New Zealand market. According to a statement made by Mr. E. Boucher, the 1932 output of five Auckland firms aloite was '£.74,731,' while during the same period, the importations from the United Kingdom, were: Wireless sets mounted in cabinets, £8834; other wireless apparatus, £24,418. Thus on this figure of five Auckland firms alono, the United Kingdom manufacturer was far from being'on the basis of a "domestic competitor." , ■ '■ ' GAS METERS AND PARTS. Application was made by Hibberd, Son,. and Burnos, Ltd., for the imposition of a British preferential duty of 25.per cent, and a general tariff of 45 per cent, on gas meters and gas meter parts. Evidence was given by Mr. H. C. Hibberd, who stated that hia firm manufactured meters in their entirety with the exception-of tho small indices, which.'were .-imported from Great Britain. A, reduction of output would increase production costs and prevent the firm from continuing to sell meters at their present price. Given tariff protection to assure tho New Zealand industry an adequate market, the priceof meters to tho gas undertakings ■could-definitely'be reduced. Without euch protection it would be impossible for the firm to ;■ continue manufacturing in New Zealand, and it would be driven to importing its, meters from Australia. The firm' was indebted to the gas undertakings which had loyally supported the local, industry. . W. Watson and. Sons, Ltd., Wellington, asked that no alteration be made in the present tariff arrangement whereby X-ray and' electro-medical apparatus from. Australia and tho United Kingdom is. admitte d free of duty. EopreSenting tho Colonial Ammuni-. tionCo., Ltd., Auckland, Mr. Mander asked for a British preferential duty of 20 per cent, and a 45 per cent foreign duty on bakolite stoppers for bottles arid jars, the manufacture of which, he said, was: now being undertaken in New Zealand. DRESSED SKINS. Pa-yes' Tannery, Ltd., Wellington, 'applied for the imposition of a duty *>£ 30 per cent, on foreign and Australiaddressed goat and kid skins, and a duty of 20 per cent, on similar skins of British origin except Australian. At prejsent all dressed goat and kid skins admitted free of duty. It Tvas suggested1 that the respective duties could be'-reduced by 5 per cent, annually for ■ two years, resulting finally in a foreign and Australian duty of 20 per cent, and a. United' Kingdom duty of 10 per cent. A protection of 10 per Vient. against British imports was desired oxi account of.the higher labour tmi marketing charges in New Zealand and the- additional cost of complying with the: regulations laid down by the New Zealand Government covering tho importation of skins.from India. There was every, reason to believe that the applicants'business could be established most satisfactorily in New Zealand. The Australian market was closed to New Zealand- leathers,' but the New Zealand market was being flooded with Australian leathers ■' which, however, did. not compete to any great extent with the applicants' lines. Unless Australia was prepared to make reciprocal arrangements it was considered that the general tariff shduld apply to all Australian leathers. ' LINSEED OIL. The abolition of the duty.on crude and .refined linseed . oil imported from the Unite^ Kingdom, and the maintenance of the general tariff, were requested by the National. Seed. Crushers' Association; London. When figures were quoted of the English costs based on seed. from India, Mr. A. E. Mander, secretary of the Now Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, said that only a small portion of the seed was from India. The bulk of the cheaper seed came from the Argentine and Russia. I