RUBBER INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21792, 5 May 1934, Page 11

RUBBER INDUSTRY

REGULATION SCHEME OBJECTIVE EXPLAINED FAIR LEVEL OF PRICES CONSUMERS SAFEGUARDED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 4, G. 45 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, May 3 The Colonial Secretary, Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, was questioned in tho House of Commons to-day about the rubber regulation scheme. Asked whether he was satisfied that the uncertainty in regard to the future price of rubber would not act detrimentally against the development of new uses for rubber, on which the prosperity of the industry ultimately must depend, the Minister replied that one of the main objects of tho scheme was to maintain a fair and equitable price level. Ho thought it would be generally agreed that stability of price was most likely to be secured by a regulated but flexible scheme. It should be remembered also that the scheme contained express provision for associating representatives of the consumers with the International Rubber Regulation Committee which wotdd administer it. It was not intended to put the price of rubber on an " artificial level." Those who drafted tho scheme were fully aware that it was desirable to have a maximum amount of rubber consumed. Also it was an essential part of the scheme that all consumers should be treated alike. The present scheme had been expressly designed to Ifvoid the | wide fluctuations which took place under the Stevenson restriction scheme and the Minister again drew attention to its provisions associating consumers with the International Committee.