TARIFF COMMISSION

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1933, Page 6

TARIFF COMMISSION

BISCUITS AND CONFECTIONERY. RETENTION OF DUTIES WANTED. (Per Press Association.—Copyright.) . ; WELLINGTON, Thursday. Retention of the existing duties on biscuits and confectionery was sought before the Tariff Commission today by Mr R. H. Webb, of Aulsebrook’s, Ltd., and Mr C. V. Smith, of Cadbuzy, Pry and Hudson, Ltd. The total purchases of raw material in the last three years was given as £.1,391,167, 64 per cent of which was of New Zealand origin, including 52 per cent purchased direct from primary producers.

The figures for the industry showed that there were over 2000 productive workers, and that over £200,000 a year , was paid as wages. The value of the output of New Zealand biscuits and confectionery was stated to be over £1,320,000. Timber Trade. The retention of the present Customs duties on timber was sought by Mr A. Seed, secretary of the Sawmillers' Federation, in a statement presented to the Tariff Commission yesterday. He said that the existing duties had not been in operation for a sufficiently long period for their effects to be judged, and furthermore that the duties had not been effective during any period of normal timber consumption.

The duties were enacted only in August, 1930, he said. With the exception of very small supplies of imported woods other than Australian hardwoods, New Zealand could well be self-sufficient in respect to timber requirements. As an avenue of employment in normal times the timber industry ranked in the forefront of the main industries of the Dominion other than farming. In reply to Professor Murphy, Mr Seed said he would go so far as to say that it would be in the interests of New Zealand to prohibit imported timber. ,

Professor Murphy suggested that the implication was that an embargo on imported timber would be better for New Zealand, and when Mr Seed admitted that this was the logical conclusion of his arguments, Professor Murphy said, "Yes, it is fatal when you try to prove too much." The professor proceeded to suggest that the

same argument might be applied by English farmers to New Zealand butter. W. J. Hobson, representing the Redwood Export Company of San Francisco, asked for a reduction of duty on clear grade Californian redwood, sawn, not dressed. He said Californian redwood was the most suitable commercial timber available for joinery purposes. It was very durable and not subject to attack by borer or other insect pests. It Avas fire-resisting, being very slow to ignite and not burning readily. It wasi as free from shrinkage and war page as it was seemingly

possible for any timber to be, and this was a source of importance in dll joinery work, Lie contended that the present duty was excessive.