TRADE WITH THE STATES

Evening Star, Issue 25769, 16 April 1946, Page 8

TRADE WITH THE STATES

DUTY REDUCTIONS FAVOUR DOMINION (P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 15. " It does not seem to be commonly realised that New Zealand exports to the United States are given the benefit of American duty reductions through our granting to you our ' most-favoured nation ' treatment," said Mr J. C. Fuess, Consul for the United States of America, in Auckland in an address to the Auckland Rotary Club to-day. Mr Fuess explained that New Zealand received this preference as one of the 28 countries with which America had concluded trade agreements. " There are many products which appear in New Zealand's regular exports on which American duties have been lowered since 1934," the speaker said. He quoted as examples cattle hides and calfs'kins, on which the duties had been reduced by 50 per cent, since 1941, coarser and medium grades of wool, and certain types of cheese. '•' Another important point is that no duty at all is charged on American imports of sheep, lamb, deer, rabbit, and opossum skins, or on sausage casings, kauri gum, or wool not finer than 40 7 s when entered in bond and used in the manufacture of press cloth, knit or felt boots, heavy lumbermen's socks, or rugs and carpets," he said. " From 1936 to 1940, under trade agreements negotiated, the average v"lue of our total imports was £(N.Z.)773,000.000, and just over Co | U >r cent of these imports entered America without payment of dut\\ " New Zealand exports to the United

States during 1945," Mr Fuess added, "were nearlv double those for 1939, and rose t0\£(.\\Z.)'7,749,030. This sharp expansion, even in war conditions, certainly shows definite possibilities for trade expansion."