TARIFF COMMISSION

Grey River Argus, 16 June 1933, Page 5

TARIFF COMMISSION

THEY ALL WANT FvEDUCTIONS. WELLINGTON. June 15. Mr Douglas Gordon Mcßobie, manager of Chapman (New Zealand) Ltd., asked that duty on bulk vaseline and petroleum jelly from foreign countries bp reduced from 45 per cent to 10 per cent., and that thp present duty on packed petroleum jelly be allowed to remain. Witness said that if the duty on bulk petroleum jelly, the sole agency of which was held by his firm, wore reduced Ihr comp:iTiy would be able to sell at such a low rate that price cutting competitors, who imported the packed article, would be driven off thp. market. An application for the abolition of duty on malt extract was made by Mr John Pearson Page, director of Potter and Birk's (New Zealand) Ltd. Afr Pago said that the duty was 20 per cent, or 2d per lb., whichever was the greater. He contended that the protection afforded the local manufacturer was too high, and quite unnecessary. On bulk malt extract the landing charges, with exchange, amounted to 121 per cent., on malt extract in one lb. jars to 105 per cent., and on malt extract in 2 lb. jars to 110 per cent. With exchange at par the landing charges were 91 per cent, on bulk, 72 per cent, on 1 lb. jars and 78 per cent, on 2 ]b jars. Mr Page maintained that thp transportation charges alone over 12,000 miles should afford sufficient protection to the local manufacturer. With exchange at par and duty free, the landing charges w’ould! amount to 23| per cent, on bulk, 42 per cent, on 1 lb. jars, and 40 per cent on 2 lb. jars. The Commission adjourned until tomorrow