TRADE WITH BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22319, 17 January 1936, Page 12

TRADE WITH BRITAIN

Sjr. —I have boon intorosted in the articles which hare appeared in vour paper in connection with hoped-for concessions from England in relation to dairy produce from New Zealand. As a visitor from the home it has occurred to me that a point of view held by English manufacturers may be of interest to you. Are English receiving that consideration to which they are entitled under the Ottawa Agreement, and has the agreement been carried out in spirit or even in the letter? Even though certain items may appear upon the list of free imports the' expense of • landing them amounts to the equivalent of a 50 per cent pro- • tection due to the incidence of exchange, primage, carriage, etc.. and those goods which are subject to duty are under a proportionally higher load. In addition v to the above,__ the New Zealand Government pays a subsidy for houses which are built entirely with New Zealand material, that is to say. it fittings are used which come from England, then the property is not eligible for the subsidy. This amounts to a protection against English goods immeasurably greater than an import duty and many wholesalers will not buy English goods owing to the fact that they are not useable •on building schemes coming under the subsidy arrangement. This practically amounts to a fine for using certain English materials. Australian goods are also coming into New Zealand in competition with English goods and they have an advantage owing to the fact that there is no exchange difficulty to surmount and, in addition, the incidence, of the sales tax is- less in the case of goods from Australia than from England, as in the case of English goods the tax is charged upon carriage and exchange. Again. I would ask whether tlie Ottawa Agreement has been carried out, bearing in mind that the decisions come to by the committee appointed to consider what reductions should be made in duties upon English were set aside by Parliament and in most cases higher duties imposed than those recommended. I would suggest that the foregoing points should receive the consideration of those in authority in New Zealand before approaching the Old Country for further concessions. G. Neville Spkhryn*,* Chairman Brassfounders' Employers' Association, Birmingham, England.