THE TARIFF COMMISSION

Evening Star, Issue 21624, 20 January 1934, Page 18

THE TARIFF COMMISSION

IMPORTS OF WOOLLEN GOODS The following statement was made by Mr A. E. Mander, general secretary ofj the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, at a special sitting ’ of the Tariff Commission this week to receive supplementary evidence submitted by United Kingdom manufacturers: — It is often misleading to quote imports in terms of money values, especially during a period of. rising or falling prices. Many importers of cloth, have come before the commission to complain that imports have been considerably, reduced during the last few years, and in support of their contention they have quoted the official Customs fig-, , ures showing the drop in money values of such imports. The suggestion has been made that this is a consequence of the tariff (though the same low; tariff of only 20 per cent, has been in force for very many years), the decline . in purchasing power, and the raising of exchange. Very strongly has the suggestion been made that the raising: of exchange has benefited the dominion; woollen mills by reducing the amount of competing imports. • I now desire to place before the com-, mission the figures which refute this*; argument. I submit that it is a mostj striking (and surprising) fact that—irU spite of the decline of purchasing! power, in! spite of high_ exchange, ia| spite of everything—our imports,. mea’s-j nred in actual goods and not merej| money values, have been maintained! nion ey values, have heent maintained! at practically their pre-slump and par-5 exchange volume. My figures are| taken from ‘ Wool Record and Textile! World’ (Bradford), November, 1933: UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS TO' NEW ZEALAND. Woollen ■

“Nine months. It is interesting also to compare Br.i- , tain’s exports of woollen cloth to New, Zealand with her total exports to all countries. The significant fact is that British exports to New Zealand have V been practically maintained—in "spite of the slump and in spite of exchangewhile her total exports to-all countries have diminished by two-thirds.' To To

Another significant comparison may be made between British exports of, woollen cloth to Hew Zealand and Australia respectively. Is it possible that" such a comparison may indicate one ofj the reasons why Australia, to-day appears to be recovering prosperity ? , UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS OES WOOLLEN CLOTH. f To To \

The yardage of- tweed and _ cloth made in New Zealand woollen mills js given in ‘ Factory; Production, 1933.’ - The figures are m ... Tweed and Cloth , (yards). . 1929 1930 1,024,332 1931 ... ... ... 1932 ' ... ... . 1,012,492 ~ Taking the two preceding tables'together, we find that * the annual consumption of cloth has not very. much decreased, in spite pt the slump. Nor,in the case of New,Zealand, has there been any appreciable change in the proportions of the demand met by British and New Zealand .mills respectively. Australia, on the other hand,has reduced her importation of woollen cloth by about 92 per cent., which has meant an increase of about 6,500;000 square yards to be. made of Australian wool by Australian workers in Australian mills paying Australian taxes, and reducing the cost of Australian cloth to the Australian public by enabling their mills to wprk at full capacity. This in Australia has necessarily led to an increase of employment, a substantial relief to unemployment funds,; a bigger wage distribution, and therefore an increase of internal spending power, to the benefit of business generally—all of which benefits have been missed in New Zealand as a result of bur lowtariff. , - The Australian tariff of 90 per cent.before the recent reductions, and now 1 , (after reductions made to comply with the Ottawa agreement) is 65 per cent, on British-: woollen piecegoods valued at 3s per yard, f.o.b’. New Zealand’* tariff is, of course,, only 20 per cent. YESTERDAY’S SITTING. [Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 19. Evidence relating to a number- of, applications received from oversea* since the meetings of the Tariff Commission last year were heard by tb# commission sitting in Wellington today. Printing inks, gas meters .-and parts, kid leather, wool or fur, felt hoods, and sparklet bulbs were the sub< jects of representations, -

Piece goods. Worsteds* {sq. yds) - . (sq. yds),1928 ... ... 2,419,900 797,200 1929 ... ... 2,367,700 1 865,500 1930 ... ... 2,146,100 795,400’' 1931 ... ... 1,664,300 745,300 1932 ... .,. 2,408,500 933,300 *1933 ... ... 1,907,000 ■ 652,600

New Z’lnd. all countries.- ' (sq. yds), , (sq. yds). 1928 .. 2,419,900 128,556,000 1929 ..>2,367,700 108,185,000. 1930 .. 2,146,100 79,042,5001931 ' „ 1,664,300 56,330,900 : 1932 ... 2,408,500 53,537,000 •1933 .. 1,907,000 45,942,500 •Nine months.

New Zealand Australia (sq. yds). (sq. yds). 1928 .. ... 2,419,900 7,129,900; 1929 v. . J.. 2,367,700 - 5.591,6001930 .. . ... 2,146,100 2,527,600 1931 .. . ... 1,664,300 310,100 1932 .. . ... 2,408,500 462,200 *1933 .. . ... 1,907,000 . . 484,300 •Nine months.