THE NEW TARIFFS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1934, Page 9

THE NEW TARIFFS

KEjCEPTION AT HOME

VIEWS OF TRADERS

EXCHANGE STILL AN ISSUE

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LOXDON, July 20.

Alterations in the New Zealand tariffs are welcome to Northampton manufacturers, for on boots and shoes tho reduction is from 25 to lv per cent. News of the readjustments coincided with the arrival of New Zealand buyers at Northampton, and the good business ( I done included the opening of some new ! accounts. Footwear exported to INew Zealand must be stamped "all leather. At the meeting of Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce, the secretary reported on the proposed new tariffs. He pointed out that duties which, previously stood at 10 per tent, and 20 per cent, bad in many eases " been withdrawn. The lock trade would certainly receive very substantial benefit if the proposals were carried through, as after November 1 locks, hinges, catches, etc., would be admitted free.' There were also valuable concessions relating to many other goods manufactured in that district. The president (Colonel W. Beddows) said that the proposals were very satisfactory from the point of view of industries in that area. A number of the pfineipals of business firms who have been-invited _to express an opinion of the new tariffs are somewhat guarded in their statements. Others, however, anticipate a real increase in trade. A director or. the well-known scale makers, Messrs. W and T. Avery, Ltd., Birmingham, writes: "Undoubtedly the readjustment of the tariffs in New Zealand will have a beneficial effect upon business in this country, and will put into the hands of British manufacturers, a, weapon which should help them materially in combating foreign competition. It is sincerely to be ..hoped that producers in New Zealand may get better prices for their products and thus improve the public purchasing power, so that full advantage can bo taken of the tariff reliefs." • . • . . EXCHANGE RATE. The general manager of Messrs. Morny, Ltd., perfume and toilet specialists, says:— "English ' manufacturers will, no doubt, be very appreciative of the additional margin of preference winch now exists between the British ■ and foreign goods. It is to be remembered that the New Zealand tariff has never been very high' in comparison with other parts of the British Empire, and this further reduction will undoubtedly give us a very good chance of regain--1 ing the business we have lost during the depression. "In my opinion the biggest stumbling block at the moment between trade within the Empire—particularly with regard to Australia and New Zealand—is the' question of exchange. It the Governments of the various countries concerned could only get together and arrive at an adjustment whereby a reduction in.tho exchange could take place I am positive that the trade expansion between England and Australia and New Zealand would be enormous. No doubt the present rate ot exchange is a big help to the primary producer in New Zealand m selling to the Home Country, but one would imagine that New Zealand not being a manufacturing country, it should be possible to; establish a trade balance on the question of export of primary products of this country and the importation of British manufactured goods into the Dominion. I would even go. so far as to suggest. that, it ,is within, the bounds -of' possrbUity--;f6r: : -Newy ; ;,:Zea; land to so arrangeher taxation toi nifiW it possible to eliminate the import tariff on all British goods when it is remembered that New Zealand tariff is imposed as a revenue-earning machine and not as a means of protection ,tor local manufacturers.'" ' ■■.'"■; 'The export manager of Messrs. Gena--tosan,- Ltd., manufacturing chemists, Loughborough, says: —",.■. ... i. "Our!comments are very brief owing to the fact that whatever improvement may. have been ■expected asa result of the above-mentioned readjustments, they have, in our opinion, been nullified by the imposition of the excessive rate of exchange between that Dominion and this cotmtry. At the_time of the readjustment ; we certainly had high hopes of doingl much better business',and no doubt should have made a definite move to foster, this by, • increased advertising, but we wcro.-conit' pellcd' to relinquish the idea when the exchange rate was increased." RECIPROCAL TRADE. The managing director of Messrs. Coleman ancl Coleman, Ltd., chemical manufacturers, Norwich, states: — "We kAow full well the'tariffs now reduced were, originally imposed not in any spirit of antagonism, but by sheer, force of economic necessity. Whilst these tariffs have been a severe handicap, we could not complain, as vro realised the honest necessity for their introduction. . .. ■ ■

"Now that readjustment' has. been put into force, we have taken special steps to again emphasise to our workpeople and office staffs the desirability of asking for New Zealand goods when ordering from local stores. We believe that reciprocity cannot fail to bring mutual prosperity,, and; we shall do all wo can to show our practical appreciation of New Zealand's efforts to make our trading less difficult."