TARIFF REVISION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21984, 20 June 1933, Page 5

TARIFF REVISION

ENGINEERING AND METAL TRADES JOINT CASE PRESENTED. (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 19. A joint case on behalf of the engineering and metalwork industries was presented to the Tariff Commission to-day by Mr A. E. Mander, secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association, who stated that most of the materials required were imported from Great Britain, and it was therefore suggested that Britain should continue to supply the materials in an unmanufactured or semimanufactured state, and that New Zealand should manufacture them ready for the market. This was the principle recommended by the Imperial Economic Committees on the Imperial Industrial Co-operation. Mr Mander said that 36 firms were engaged in manufacturing tinned plate and sheet metal working, employing 3920 workers who received £719,704 in wages. The capital invested in the metal working ' industry was £937,850 and in the engineering £1,928,873. The output last year was £1,161,974. Mr C. P. Sutcliffe, representing Messrs D. F. Fisher, Ltd., asked for a protection on metal piston rings of 3d per ring up to five inches and a percentage of that duty on rings over five inches. Professor Murphy: What does 3d a ring amount to ad valorem? Witness: Fifty per cent. The witness also asked that pistons should be classed as metal manufactures in line with piston rings, the present tariff on which was—British 20 per cent., and foreign 45 per , cent. He contended that owing to the small value per article the present tariff on rings amounted to little or no protection. The commission adjourned until tomorrow morning.