NEW ZEALAND IMPORTERS

Evening Star, Issue 21219, 28 September 1932, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND IMPORTERS

PROPOSED FEDERATION PREFERENCE TO BRITISH GOODS MARGIN SHOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED WORTH-WHILE SECONDARY INDUSTRIES [Pm Ukitkd Press Association.] „ WELLINGTON, September 28. A "conference of delegates representing the interests of importers from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington was held this morning to consider the desirability of forming a New Zealand importers’ federation, Mr Edwin Salmond, president of the Wellington Importers' Association, presiding. In opening the conierencc, Mr Salmond said that up to the present an importer had been nobody’s baby, and, indeed, it would almost seem that a section of the public appeared to hold the view that importers were hardly, if at all, necessary, whereas importers were an essential link in the chain of commerce. In point of fact an importer acted as the expert buying agent for the general public, and it might safely be assorted that an importer served the New Zealand public well.

Proceeding, he said that if one was called upon to point to one factor operating more strongly than any other to the delay in the lifting of the present world-wide depression one would inevitably point to the high tariffs. Signs were not wanting, however, that the world was beginning to realise its folly, and that before long the channels of trade would be open for traffic. It had been stated that the Government’s intention in raising tariff walls was to obtain more revenue, but the effect had been the reverse of what was anticipated It was cheering to learn from the statements by the Premier and Mr Coates that the Customs Bill this week would embody reductions in duties on British goods, but he hoped that at the same time reductions would he made in the general tariff. Another matter outstandingly requiring their attention was the matter of exchange. He hoped that the movement in favour of artificial'inflation of exchange was dying. While formerly it would have been folly to inflate a month or two back, now in the light of the Ottawa agreement it would practically amount to cheating, as it would be breaking the essence of the agreement in regard to preference to British goods. He said that the question of the margin of preference should be most carefully considered. Was there not a danger, if the margin was too great, that the New Zealand public might suffer without benefit to British manufacturers as a whole.

In regard to secondary industries, he emphasised that importers were in no way antagonistic to those worth while, or, in other words, economically sound; but it seemed necessary to endeavour to define just what economic industry was. He suggested the definition was industry which benefited the community as a whole. It was not enough that industry should pay big dividends and employ a certain number of people. It was quite possible to do these things at the expense of the rest of the community. If they were successful in forming an importers’ federation one of the first tasks should be to consider carefully the position of secondary industries and to give what assistance they could to those which benefited the whole community and fight for lower tariffs on goods manufactured by secondary industries, in _ the federation’s opinion not economic. Concluding, Mr Salmond mentioned that when recently he told Mr Forbes that they had formed the Wellington Importers’ Association Mr Forbes was frank enough to say that resolutions from provincial associations rarely carried much weight with any Government, and the Premier stressed the necessity of a New Zealand federation if it was desired to make its weight felt.

The proceedings are not open to the Press.