DUTY UPON BOTTLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18468, 3 August 1923, Page 11

DUTY UPON BOTTLES.

PROTEST FROM DUNEOIN. TONE OF LETTER RESENTED.

Strong opposition to the proposed duty on glass bottles was expressed in a letter from the / Duhedin Manufacturers' Association, considered at a r meeting of the Auckland - Industrial ..■; Association, held yesterday. Exception was taken by the Duhedin Association ,to the ' fact that its opinion on the 'matter had. not been sought by the Industrial Corporation before the latter body gave its support to the, proposal. . s■' . ;; n ; . ? The ! letter stated that the majority of Dunedin members felt that the corporation was not organised in such a way as to •be \ truly representative of the opinions of manufacturers as a body. /It was known / that the. Auckland Association had given ijts f support to: a certain ' individual who advocated the imposition of duty, but ; it was not known that the corporation had given its official support to the application. It was, moreover, difficult to understand the statement that Auckland bottle users had expressed approval of the. proposed duty, particularly if their . requirements covered anything like the wide range of bottles used in Dunedin industries^ The association.to a man was strongly opposed to the duty, and/was prepared to-fight it to'the last fence. .'..-•■ ■"' :'■• v■•//-"■'.■•'■:■'■'■■' ■ ■■'';■:•■;'; -'.'■:■ In the discussion that followed, it was evident that • the j general tone of the letter was resented by the recipients. Mr." Allum said there had not been a single complaint' made in Auckland with, regard to the proponed duty, save one made some time ■ ago by. the Aerated Waters Company. At no time had the association favoured any individual or any particular , company, its object being to aid the establishment of local indnstriea. / * With regard- to the statement that Dunedin had not been consulted in the matter, that centre had only ', joined v the corporation in February last, after having voluntarily dropped out for several years. The association did n6t; care to have any ( re- 1 flections cast on the corporation officials, past ; or present, and the remarks made by i the Dunedin body were altogether out of place. ' ' ■ ',■ /. ; • ~;. -, The chairman's remarks were supported by: Mr. F. : M. Hills, .who said that 80 . per cent, of the users of glass ware in the fruit preserving industry were satisfied with the quality of the locally-made article, and in favour of the imposition of duty. : It was rather, unfortunate, perhaps, • from one ' point of view : that the only glassworks in the Dominion; should have' been established iin , Auckland, but ■ nevertheless : the great majority of -the users of its wares were quite satisfied. \ The secretary was instructed to forward' a reply embodying the nfyin points of the discussion.' .