TARIFF ADJUSTMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23129, 1 December 1938, Page 17

TARIFF ADJUSTMENT

FLEXIBILITY ESSENTIAL [Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 30. The principle of a more flexible and scientific system of tariff adjustment was endorsed by the annual conference of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation in preference t> an Auckland remit that the Government be urged to set up a tariff board. Mr F. N. Ambler, the mover of the Auckland remit, said that tariff boards were favoured by Australia, England, and Canada, and they worked satisfactorily in practice. The Government enunciated the policy and the board gave expression to it. The amendment was moved by Mr H. Higgins (Wellington) -with the addition that the question bo referred to the council of the federation for consideration and development. He said the Wellington Association was not fully convinced that a tariff board was the correct method of securing a tariff adjustment. The machinery existed in the Bureau of Industry for settling the question of tariff movements, and it was quite possible that something might be done along the lines suggested. Mr R. G. Buckleton, the seconder of the amendment, said that the manufacturers would probably be in a minority on any tariff board that might be established. The question required much more investigation than it had been given. The amendment gave effect to the federation’s general ideas without running into any undue risks. The federation passed a resolution commending the enlargement of the scope of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and offering to co-operate in scientific research for industry.

Another resolution urged the Government to give immediate effect to its promise to give adequate protection to industry where required. An Auckland remit that the Government be requested to increase to £lO,000 the amount of £3,000 allocated for publicity for New Zealand-made goods was referred to the council for action at the appropriate time.