SHOTGUN CARTRIDGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21729, 19 February 1934, Page 10

SHOTGUN CARTRIDGES

SHIPMENT TO AUSTRALIA TRADE AGREEMENT BENEFIT The first shipment of shotgun cartridges to be sent to Australia from New Zealand was despatched by the Mitrama on Friday afternoon. This large consignment had been made at the works of the Colonial Ammunition Company, Mount Eden, and was for this New South Wales market. During this week there will follow a second consignment intended for the Victorian market and made up of 130,000 cartridges. This new outlet for the products of Now Zealand industry is made possible by the reciprocal tariff agreement which wo; 3 put into operation on December 1 of last year. Before that date the duty on shotgun cartridges imported into Australia amounted to 15 per cent, but under the agreement this duty was removed and cartridges are to be admitted free. The former tariff made it impossible for the New Zealand manufacturers to compete against those of other countries, notably Great Britain, An:erica and Germany.

The three countries mentioned were the chief sources of cartridge cases. This shot was made either in Australia or imported from New Zealand, and all the powder came from outside the Commonwealth, the finished article being either imported or mado up in Auiitralia.

lb is an interesting coincidence that tliiu year will be the 50th anniversary of the ammunition industry in New Zealand, which started with the manufacture of .577 Snider cartridges under contract xor the Government. Three years later the production was extended to shotgun cartridges.