PREFERENCE TO BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18565, 24 November 1923, Page 10

PREFERENCE TO BRITAIN

GOODS FROM FOREIGN LANDS.

THE MARGIN OF VALUE.

GREATER PROTECTION URGED.

A reception Was tendered to the Minister for Industries and Commerce, the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, at the Piccadilly Tea-rooms yesterday, by the members of the Auckland Industrial Association. > The president of the New Zealand Industrial Corporation and of 'the Auckland ' Association, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, after welcoming the Minister, said the matter of preference granted to Great Britain, was one with which the corporation had been in full accord, but certain matters ' that had recently come trader notice made it necessary to revise •at least one of the conditions affecting preference. , At present it was stipulated that on any article imported into Britain from foreign sources, and afterwards • exported to the Dominion, at least 25 per cent, of the value should -.represent the work of British people. This proportion was so small that seemed an easy matter for British exporters to send out articles which were > practically the product of foreign countries, and iv would appear that at least some British exporters were not " playing the game. The remedy he wotild suggest was that 75 per cent, of the value should represent British manufacture. The Minister said that recently representations had been made to him on this subject, and he cabled to Mr. Massey, asking him to have it brought up at the Economic Conference, but ho subsequently found that a subsidary conference was ; dealing, with it. He mentioned that this arrangement was arrived at by a large customs conference some years ago, and it was not within the power of any one Dominion to reverse the rule. It would be necessary to have a conference at which all parties could concur, so it was not an easy matter to remedy. He was inclined to believe this concession did tend to create conditions that made it easy for Germans and other foreign manufacturers to get their goods into countries like the Dominion. A number of-'points of' interest to manufacturers were explained by the president, and these were _ dealt with by the Minister ill sympathetic fashion. He said he fully recognised the difficulties under which New Zealand manufacturers were labouring. The more he- saw of New Zealand manufacturers the more he was impressed by their energy, their enterprise, and the resource they displayed. ' •