PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 151, 28 May 1929, Page 7

PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIES.

TAXATION THROUGH CUSTOMS. “REVENUE, NOT PROTECTIVE PURPOSES.” The fact that outside the farming world there is a decided trend of thought favouring the establishment and building up of secondary industries by a process of protection was referred to by Mr K. W. Dalrymple at the Farmers’ Union conference at Masterton td-day. “This,” said the speaker, “started in a small way and has developed to an alarming degree. To illustrate just what the other fellow is thinking, the following remarks attributed to the Minister of Industry and Commerce, and made in Auckland the other day, are informative: ‘lt was disquieting to see that £3,000,000 of apparel and almost £1,000,000 of footwear was imported into New Zealand last year.’ Apparently, it is the desire to make in New Zealand most of the things that are now imported. If this were brought about, what would shipping freights be for our produce with empty ships coming out to get it? Surely trade is the exchange between countries of the products that they can most advantageously produce in competition with each other. An industry, once launched, which cannot stand on its own legs, should not be kept ‘bolstered up at the expense of the whole community. We must stand by the union platform—that taxation through the Customs shall be for the purpose of raising revenue and not for protective purposes. ’ ’