TARIFF ON BRITISH GOODS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 51, 1 March 1934, Page 10

TARIFF ON BRITISH GOODS

. . (To the Editor.i •Sir,—The Auckland - executive of the JSew Zealand Farmeis' Union lequested the Minister of Customs to make an immediate reduction of 10 per cent.- on all Customs duties affecting United Kingdom manufactures. Whilst this is not an easy thing to do, the. principle underlying the request is thoroughly sound. Many of the articles in which ' Britain is being specially'penalised are on the free list. These could apparently only be dealt with by a discriminatory tariff, but it in'the meantime everything ' that could be "done for Britain were done, it would be a step in the light direction, lir. Coateg's'reply to the request was that it was not considered possible to give ffect to- the recommendation of my -executive until the Tariff' Commission had presented its ' report. _ The Auckland Farmers' Union considers ite recommendation -a most reasonable' one and one which should receive immediate attention. \ Britain is Buffering from grave disadvantage,.-; owing Ho Australian competition,; for instance.'; The ■ level exchange •with •\A.iistralia;;i as , against"'the' adverse exchange on British, imports into New Zealand; is resulting in' ■ advantages, '■ presumably, not deliberate,-but-.none, the less cxV tremely undesirable, in favour of Australia and against Britain. Other cases could be quoted, but the Australian case is the strongest. Owing to high protective duties many industries, so uneconomic that they could not exist against fair competition from Britain, have been given" in effect, 25 per cent, preference through the exchange rate, plus lesser transport charges*. This has been done after Britain had not only provided • New Zealand with a free market, but had given this Dominion both quota and tariff advantages fallowing on the-Ottawa. Conference.;: -•l There jhave'/ always'vbeen advantages in . favour' of, Australia! f Such - articles' .■ as patesn't. medicines, drngsi,1 gramophone records,'.photographic materials,^when protected in Australia- by -high' duties had small factories established"; by overseas 'firms in order Ho. take advantage of the protection .and-the nearness of Australia to. New/Zealand, with. ' the of adding the New Zealand demand to the Australian a« an approach. towards mass production, meant that trade which'iwpuld have employed, the users -of our primary products"- in*-'-Britain was transferred to Australia. Now that the exchange advantage acts as a real protective duty for Australian manufactures, wire and hosts of other things have been added to. the list which Australia can produce to the detriment of Britain and export to 2<ew Zealand. There is no object in continuing this state of affairs one moment longer. it appears that the Tariff Commission s _ report will not be dealt with until after Parliaments meets. There will then .be the usual delays, and meantime Bntisti manufactures are' being dealt with unfairly and a, retaliatory spirit is developing in Britain.—l am, etc., ," I A. E. ROBINSON, Provincial Secretary, New Zealand Farmers' Union (Auckland Province).