TARIFF REVISION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 11

TARIFF REVISION

/"CITRUS FRUIT INDUSTRY request for protection GROWERS' CASE PRESENTED QUESTIONS OF MARKETING Substantial protection for the local > citrus fruit, industry was sought in representations'made to the Tariff Comniission yesterday by tho »Auckland V Citrus Association, Limited, and allied interests. In view of the fact that New Zealand could not supply all its own requirements in lemons, grapefruit and marmalade oranges, Mr. G. A. Green, on behalf of growers, made the following ;requests: —(1) A duty on all lemons, grapefruit, and marmalade oranges imported into New Zealand, of 2d per lb., to ope'rate all the year round; (2) an embargo on all citrus fruits from all districts where the fruit fly is known exist; (3) a duty on citrus fruit, pulp or juices, sweetened or unsweetened, of 50 per cent ad valorem; (4) 1 a duty on citrus skins (including lemou skins)/ in brines of 50 per cent ad , valorem; (s)', a duty on fruit .juices, including citrus, unsweetened or sweetened, in all sized containers or in barrels of 30 per cent British, 50 per cent foreign. Similar protection was sought on behalf of Tauranga growers, for whom Mr. H. B. Mountford appeared. Passion Fruit Industry On behalf 'of Kerikeri Growers, Limited, the following requests were mads by Mr. J. B. Walker:—(l) A duty of 2d per lb. on all overseas fresh passion fruit; (2) a duty of 3s 6d a gallon, or 25 per cent, whichever is the higher, on ,all overseas passion fruit pulp, or juice, irrespective of size or form of containers. Addressing Mr. Green, Professor B. E. Murphy, a member of the commission, asked whether the duties sought , would not operate to exclude all imported citrus-fruit. Mr. Green: Not entirely, but if >- overseas fruit still comes in, the duties will ensure that the local growers get 'i living. Professor' Murphy: What is your attitude toward the Cook Islands? Mr. Green: At present we exclude • the Cook Islands from our request for & duty, but we do not think any fruit should be allowed in if it comes from » district affected by fly. Professor Murphy said the danger, to his mind, was that the local industry was approaching the point of overproduction. ' Mr. S. W. House, an orchardist: We ihould probably export to other ' markets. Professor Murphy: But can you when you want to put an embargo on other countries ? Mr. House: I think we will be able to send lemons and grapefruit to England in the future. High Price ol Lemons

Comment was made by Mr. G. A. Pascoe, another member of the commission, on the high pric6 of lemons in the South Island at a time when Northern growers were being advised not to pick, their fruit. He suggested the marketing question required investigation by the growers. A member of the delegation suggested that the retailers desired to make too large a profit if, as Mr, Pascoe said, half a dozen lemons cost a shilling in Christchurch. Professor Murphy suggested ihose interested in the industry should. try to tap a new stratum of buyers at a price more within the reach of working people. Mr. J. B. Gow, another member of the commission, described as "outrageous" the commission of 10 per cent said to bo paid to auctioneering firms handling the fruit. 1 On behalf of the Auckland Tomato / and Stone Fruit Growers' Association, Limited, Mr. Green made the following requests:—(l) The prohibition of tomatoes frorri countries where fruit fly or tomato wilt is. known to exist; (2) a duty of 3d per lb. on fresh tomatoes from all other places out of New Zealand and its dependencies; (3) the prohibition, of tomatoes from the Island dependencies after September 1 each year; (4) the present duty on tomatoes in brine, tomatoes manufactured or pulped, also tomato flour, to be maintained; (5) the duty on cucumbers, peas and beans (in pods) from all places to be 3d per lb., or 50 per cent, whichever is higher. FARMING COSTS

MANUFACTURERS' REQUEST DEFINITE DETAILS URGED The opinion that farmers, as well as manufacturers, should .be obliged to furnish definite details' of costs, was expressed by the secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, Mr. A. E. Mander, in a statement submitted to the Tariff Commission yesterday. "It has been stated by representatives of the Farmers' Union and the Dairy Board that farming costs are substantially increased as a result of the protective duties in the tariff," said Mr. Mander. " If this is correct, the commissioners will probably take it into account when making their recommendations to the Government. On behalf of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, I challenge the truth of the statements which have been made. " " In view of the searching investigation which is being made into manufacturers' finances and manufacturing costs (in regard to which every assertion is required to be given on oath and further proved by the production of balance-sheets, profit and loss accounts, detailed costings, invoices and other documents), we feel that it would be only fair and reasonable for the commissioners to call for similar detailed analyses of costs in respect of a number of representative farms. Without definite figures in regard to individual farms, it is probably impossible to judge the extent to which farming costs aro actually affected by the protective duties in the tariff; and the commissioners may be greatly misled by the unsupported asseverations which have been made. " I respectfully submit, therefore, that, in justice to the manufacturers arid those who advocate the maintenance of protective duties, the commissioners should call for definite evidence and detailed analyses of actual farming costs, with a view to determining the extent to which those costs are increased as a result of protective-duties." The chairman, Dr. G. Craig: We frill consider that, Mr. Mander.