N.Z. INDUSTRIES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 258, 14 October 1932, Page 5

N.Z. INDUSTRIES

EFFECT OF OTTAWA AGREEMENT GREATER CONFIDENCE GIVEN MANUFACTURER’S COMMENTS By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 14. “While it is early to say just what effect the Ottawa agreement will have on the manufacturing industries, I think that New Zealand as a whole will be well satisfied with the result,” said Mr. Campbell, president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association. “The delegates should be congratulated on their work. The preference granted to Dominion produce should be of great assistance to the primary producers and, insofar as it does this, it will be reflected in the general prosperity of the country, which all will share.”

He was satisfied that New Zealand industries would be able to produce information that would convince an impartial tribunal that they were efficiently conducted and not in any way over-protected. The removal of the surtax would be a decided advantage to importers, but the surtax had never been regarded by manufacturers as a measure of protection. There was great danger that any increased trade would go, not to Great Britain, but to Australia.

New Zealand manufacturers, he said, urged very strongly an immediate investigation into the Customs arrangements between New Zealand and Australia. The percentage of British material required to qualify for preference should be increased to 75. As far as one- could judge now the arrangements should not cause manufacturers any uneasiness, and should give them greater confidence to go forward and pursue a policy of developing wellbalanced industries.