CUSTOMS TARIFF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21454, 30 March 1933, Page 13

CUSTOMS TARIFF

Sir,—lt was a great surprise to me to read the Primo Minister's statement that the delay in the revision of the' New Zealand tariff is caused by the want of preparedness on the part of tho United Kingdom Manufacturers' representatives in New Zealand. Although numerous requests have been made to the Government by importers generally during the past six months, they are in total ignorance of what is the intention of the Government regarding tho setting up of this commission of inquiry. If the Government is making inquiries in Great Britain, then they might have saved themselves the trouble, for all the information needed can be procured in New Zealand. Ihose most able to put forward the case for the British manufacturers are those importers in New Zealand who suffer from the imposition of the tarilf and the exchange. British manufacturers have 110 desire <0 criticise the business or productive methods of a factory in New Zealand, and wo believe it is beyond our province to do so. All wo can do to help the peoplei of New Zealand to make ends meet under their present reduced incomes and to assist the primary producer in New Zealand to bring his costs and his income into better relationship one with another and to lay clearly before the Government what wo can do in the supplying of goods produced under the most economic conditions, thus providing tho New Zealand consumer with goods or full exchange valuo for their primary products. To what extent tho New Zealand Government is prepared to permit tho farmers and tho public generally to benefit by our offer, is for the Government to determine. J- llisloi*, Chairman, U.K. Manufacturers' Assn.