PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21911, 21 September 1934, Page 13

PARLIAMENT

CUSTOMS DUTIES

PROGRESS WITH ITEMS LOWER BRITISH TARIFF MORE LABOUR PROTESTS N. futility realised Try telegraph —SPECIAL repoiter] WELLINGTON, Thursday Slowly but surely the House of Representatives is working its way through the 440 items contained in th<? schedules of the Customs Acts Amendment Bill. There were few bright patches in today's discussions. Time after time the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, and his colleagues protested against the lowering of tin; British preferential duties on the ground that local secondary industries should be adequately protected. Much play was made with the fact that some of these industries employ a large n imber of workers/ and as far as the boot manufacturing industry was concerned, tile Opposition emphasised that some of the factories had gone out of business because they were not adequately protected. The Minister's Retort That asertion drew the retort from the Minister of Customs. Mr. Coates, that the fact that one or two factories had closed could not be tali en as the deciding factor. "I don't think the country would stand for protecting an inefficient industry," said Mr. Coates. "If any manufacturer thinks he can gij snug under a high tariff, he is going to have a rude awakening. The boot industry has the sympathy of the Government, but there is no evidence that •with a reduction in the duty it will not continue to flourish."

The reduction of the British preferential duty on footwear by 5 per cent led to the promotion of a Labour amendment designed to avoid the reduction, and after a long debate it was rejected by 39 votes to 28. In spite of reiterated Labour objections to the scaling down of duties, there were very few divisions. The Opposition's point of view was concisely expressed on one occasion by Mr. Savage when he said, "I protest against/this reduction, but I realise the hopelessness and helplessness of members of this side of the House to do anything. The Government lias decided to do this and it must talse the responsibility." Quietly Mr. Coates remarked, "Sad, but trite," and the House passed on to other items. Radio Sets and Steves Later, the Minister asked that consideration of the items concerning radio sets and stoves be postponed, as he had agreed to receive deputations on those matters o:a Monday. With, a view to ensuring reasonable progress, the Government took urgency for the bill to-dav for the third successive occasion. By supper time tonight, 200 items in the long list had been passed, and the. objective is to secure confirmation of the whole 449 items before the House rises for the week-end.

After supper reasonable progress was made, and by 1 a.m. 360 items had been passed.

IMPORTS OF CLOTHING LOWER DUTIES OPPOSED // END-OF-SEASON SHIPMENTS fBT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON. Thursday Exception was taken by Mr. W. E. Parry /(Labour —Auckland Central) in the House of Representatives to-day to the reduction in the duties on clothing and hosiery. When this item was reached in the schedudes of the Customs M r - Parry said the Government should recognise the fact that a. large number of women and girls were employed in that industry, and the Government should be very careful not to do anything that would increase competition with the industry.

Mr. A. E. Ansell (Government — Chalmers) referred to the purchase of clothing, left over in Britain at the end of the season, at job prices, and to the effects on New Zealand manufacturers. ' He said he had been informed that goods purchased for a iew shillings in London had been sold in New Zealand for 11 guineas. The department laid tne trade was negligible, but his inquiries showed that it was substantial.

Mr. A. Harris (Government —Waitemata) said Mr. AnselFs statements were positively absurd. The purchasing of end--of-season job lots in London was the only means of enabling poor people in New Zealand to secure good clothes at a low price. He denied that excessive profits were made. Mr. Ansell asked the Minister to give an assurance that he would investigate the statements made and if he found/they were correct, that he would take steps to put an end 1:0 the position. The clothing industry was an avenue for the employmert of many women and girls. BEAUTIFYING ROTORUA WITHDRAWAL OF BILL [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER I WELLINGTON. Thursday The Rotorua Borough Empowering Bill, which seeks to authorise the local council to levy ail annual fee for beautifying purposes, has been dropped. The member in charge, Mr. C. H. Clinkard (Government —Rotorua) has been given leave in the Houi>e of Representatives to withdraw the measure. He said that in view of the report returned by the Local Bills Committee he had no wish to proceed with the bill.