OVERHAUL OF TARIFFS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 8 November 1933, Page 6

OVERHAUL OF TARIFFS

EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMISSION. GOAT AND KID SKINS. (By Telegraph —I’ress Association.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. An application for the imposition of a duty of 30 per cent on foreign and Australian dressed goat and kid skins and a duty of 20 per cent on similar skins of British origin was made by Mr C. H. Chapman, M.P., on behalf of Payes Tannery Ltd., Wellington, before the Tariff Commission to-day. Mr Chapman sakl that at present all dressed goat and kid skins were admitted free of duty. It was suggested that the respective duties could be reduced by 5 per cent annually for two years, resulting finally in a foreign and Australian duty of 20 per cent and a United Kingdom duty of IQ per cent. The protection of 10 per cent against British imports was desired on account of the higher labour and marketing charges in New Zealand and the additional cost of complying with the regulations laid down by the New Zealand Government covering the importations of skins from India. The Australian market was closed to New Zealand leathers, but the New Zealand market was being flooded with Australian leathers. However, unless Australia was prepared to make reciprocal arrangements it was considered that a general tariff should apply to all Australian leathers.

Requests were also made to the commission by interested parties in respect of the following classes of imports: Radio sets, gas meters and gas meter parts, X-ray and electro-medical apparatus, bakelite stoppers for bottles and crude and refined linseed oil.

DUTY ON FUEL OILS.

BITUMEN ANJ> ASPHALT.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. Imposition of a duty on imported fuel oils and a protective tariff against bitumen and asphalt in favour of the. manufacture of tar, requests made to the Tariff Commission recently by the Gas Companies’ Association of New Zealand, were opposed in representations made by other interests to the commission to-day. The request for a duty on imported fuel oil was opposed by Mr J. K. L. Webling, representing the Shell Company of New Zealand, Ltd. Mr Webling said that in many cases a duty would inevitably cause an increase in the manufacturing, production or running costs, whereas in the vast majority of eases there were strong technical and economic reasons why fuel oil should be used instead of other heat and power-producing agents. The duty would merely add another burden to industry by increasing costs. If the free play of such competition as fuel oil might provide were restricted, the prices for gas and coke might be increased, although the Gas Companies’ Association had asked for a protective duty. It was important to note that the strongest competitor of gas was electric energy, Mr Webling said. No duty on fuel oil could possibly restore to gas and coke the large trade which had been captured by electricity. He submitted that the proposed duty would bo contrary to the public interest. The application for a protective tariff against bitumen and asphalt was vigorously opposed by representatives of the Neuehatel Asphalte Company, T,'td., and the Shell Company, Ltd. The Gas Companies’ Association recently asked for a duty on both British and foreign bitumen of £2 10s a ton. It was stated that the protection asked for would severely curtail the paving industry by increasing the cost of all road construction.

RUSSIAN MANUFACTURES. WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. Among a variety of requests made by the. different parties to. the Tariff Commission to-day was a. submission by Mr U. J. Dll Flou, of Du Flou, Ltd.. Wellington, that the tariff schedule should be arranged to give Russian, manufacturers an opportunity of exporting to New Zealand on a fair and competitive basis. A reduction of foreign duties was sought in a number of eases and in others Mr Du Flou asked that no alteration he made. The application covered chemicals, tobacco, salmon and other tinned fish (including sturgeon), chinaware and c-lassware., salt, rubber, footwear, leathers, preserved fruit (such as cherries, greengages and strawberries), carpets and electric light bulbs. In connection with china and glassware, Mr Du Flou submitted that if it wore j really necessary to put the brake on Japanese imports other measures should be devised without penalising other foreign countries. He did not say that Japanese goods should be stooped, but that goods of equal' duality should he given an equal , chance of being sold irrespective of where they came from.