REPORT COMPLETED

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1934, Page 4

REPORT COMPLETED

TARIFF COMMISSION

LENGTHY INQUIRY

The work of the Customs, Tariff Commission has been completed] .and; on Thursday the chairman (Dr;-'<J. Craig) handed the report to the -Minister of Finance (the Kt. Hon. J. G:'Cpates)'for transmission to the Goverhor-GeneraL

The Commission commenced its sittings in May last, and owing: to -the large volunie of evidence and the.delay in the arrival of many of. the English, cases, three extensions of time -Were necessary. -The original date.nameoV for the submission of ; the report; was September 30, but this period was first tended to'January-31,-then'ta February 28, ana thirdly to March 31.:, ;; '

It is interesting to note.thatr.-tho'pre-vious Commission, over^which-Dr. Craig also presided,' also;7lia^|;its-:tilne tended. That Commission" was appointed on November: 29, 1926, and was originally required to reportfi>y June 30, 1927, but was granted an 1-extension until August 15 of that yeari*:-.; • .*■-'!■ On the recent Cbmmission^Prbfessor B. E. Murphy, Wellington; Mr., A: :G. Pascoo, Christehurch, and:;: ; Mr. • J^sß. Gbw, Whakatane, were associated-Tr/ith' Dr. Craig, and the other members of:tha 1926-27 Commission were Messrs. 'G;" W. Clinkard, J. H. Forrester, and -T.- Hi-M. Tanner. ' .-' ! . ...,''■.'-.' f;'-.

The prime consideration of-'-tlie'l933----34 Commission was-the Ottawa Agreement, -which included the .following clauses:— . ;-.' . ..'

"His Majesty's Government in New Zealand undertakes: .-that protection by tariffs shall be afforded against United Kingdom products only in^those industries whith. are 'reasonably •'assured>i>f sound opportunities of 'success. ■: ■ '.'

''His Majesty's Govcrrfnfent in JfeAr ' Zealand undertakes to' instiiiite'a,ii ■inquiry into the existing protectire duties ■and where necessary tqiTeauco them as speedily as possible:, tij .siicK a I'eVelas will place the United-Kingdom manufactuier in the-position of a.domestic coaipetitor—that is, tHat- the protection ' afforded to the. Kew Zealaiid'-jprbaucer shall be on a level .which-, will -give.- the' United Kingdom producer full -■ opppr-\ tunity of reasonable competition on the ' basis of the relative cost.of economical and efficient productibnVsi: .... '