TARIFF REVISION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21580, 26 August 1933, Page 13

TARIFF REVISION

'PLEAS OF IMPORTERS PLASTER BOARD AND TIMBER ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES ADJUSTMENT OF DUTIES SOUGHT X reduction in tho duty on plaster board to at least 20 per cent was fought by Mr. A. J. Maxwell, director of I* S. Maxwell, Limited, when ap- • pparing before tho Tariff Commission Yesterday. He said the duty originally ffas 2s 4d per 100 squaro feet. It was raised first to 4s Id and now was 6s 4d. The price for wallhoard imported by bis firm, said Mr. Maxwell, was 22s .per 100 square feet packed in crates and delivered to within 10 miles of the chief post office, Auckland. At this price they -were able to make a good merchant's profit,.and at the same time t'hev paid thousands of pounds to the the Xew Zealand Government. The position was the price of the local wallboard, up to the time of the Bitting of the commission, was 22s per 100 square feet- loose at the factory B nd no crates included, the same as his firm used to charge, and the Govornnient got nothing at all. This gave no revenue to the Government and no benefit to the consumer. Without duty, and all things being normal, this material could be landed for 12s 7d per 100 squaro feet. Wide Range of Articles

The removal' or reduction of duties on 12 imported lines \\ts sought by Jlr. A. G. Alexander, on behalf of gpedding. Limited, representative of a number of overseas firms. The articles included plaster board, plywood and veneers, knapsack sprayers, sanitary earthenware, household hardware, electric appliances and doors. In the case of plaster board Mr. Alexander said the British preferential tariff was 20 per cent and the general tariff 45 per cent, plus 9-40ths. Jle asked that the former be removed entirely and the latter reduced to 20 per cent. Landing charges on United Kingdom piaster centre board under present conditions totalled approximately 95 per cent. Duties and high landing charges alone had prevented their principals from selling in New •Zealand. . . The same scale of duties obtained in the case of plywood and veneers and the same adjustment was asked for. Considerable qualities of plvwood were imported for furniture n* 3 *" ine and building and both of these industries provided work for a considerable number ,of men. Both were suffering severely owing to the public s inability to buy at ruling prices, because of the increased landed prices of 'materials. He contended New Zealand timbers were unsuitable in texture and figure for plywood making. Timber Irom Canada It was urged that the present protection afforded the local timber industrv was unnecessary and that rough sawn " lumber from Canada should be admitted duty free, the general tariff to be reduced to 20 per cent. The present British preferential rate was 9s 6d plus l-20th. the general rate being lis 6d plus l-20th. The present landing charges, ex yard Canada to free on Trharf New Zealand, exclusive of exchange, were 354 per cent. In the case of dressed timber for boxes the British preferential rate was 19s, plus l-20th, and the general tariff 21s plus l-20th. It was asked that under the former head admission be free, and under the latter the duty be 20 per cent.

Application was made for the removal of duty on doors manufactured in Canada, on the ground that doors were a necessary and important item in new building work, and should be available at the lowest possible price. In the case /of the general tariff a reduction to 20 per cent was sought. The present landing charges on Canadian doors were approximately 125 per cent on, the f.o.b. Canadian port price. British Sanitary Ware The removal of duty on British and Australian' Sanitary ware also was requested. The present duty was 20 per cent in each case. A reduction under the general tariff was sought from 45 per cent plus 9-40ths to 20 per cent. The removal of all duties was sought in the case of knapsack spraying machines, which at present meet an impost of 20 per cent under the British preferential rate, and 45 per cent plus 9-40ths under the general tariff. In the case of electric ranges, irons and radiators, free admission was sought from Britain, Canada and Australia, and a reduction of the general tariff rate to 20 per cent. It was con-

tended this would bring about a wider use of electric-ppwer, which would re- „ suit in a greater return to the Government on the money invested in electrical schemes. Minor kitchen hardware, sliding door gear, and rtietai floor clips were other items on which the removal of British duties and a reduction of foreign duties were sought.