TARIFF REVISION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22099, 1 November 1933, Page 8

TARIFF REVISION

SITTING OF COMMISSION THE SAWMILUNG INDUSTRY INCREASED DUTY ON NAILS SOUGHT (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 31. Submissions were made to the Tariff Commission- to-day by Mr A. Seed on behalf of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association that an appropriate increase should be made iu the preferential and general tariff pn rough sawn timber cut to lengths and sizes for making doors and that the present rate of duty in respect to wooden doors be retained as at present. Mr Seed said that the price of New Zealand door s had been consistently reduced since the present rates of duty had been imposed, thus proving that the higher rates of duty had not meant higher prices to the users. Applications were made by the Auto Machine Manufacturing Company, Ltd., for the following duties to be placed on nails, tacks, iron exceeding one inch in length, and also dog spikes:—United Kingdom 20 per cent., Empire SO per cent, or £3 per ton (alternative), and foreign 40 per cent, or £4 per ton (alternative). The present duties are: British £2 ner ton, foreign £4 per ton. It was stated that the nail-making industry had been established in New Zealand for 22 years. During the last two or three years, mainly owing to the cessation of building activity, the nail-making industry had suffered severely, but, given the degree of protection which was allowed by article 8 of the Ottawa agreement, the industry had sound prospects of continued success. It was claimed that the cost of nails to the consumer had not been increased as a result of the existence of tariff protection of the New Zealand industry, but, on the contrary; that competition had directly and repeatedly forced down the price of imported nails. A vigorous protest against the proposal by the New Zealand Horticultural Trades’ Association that a duty of 25 per cent, be levied on bulb importations into New Zealand, except hyacinths and tulips, was made by Mr H. A. Fox, a director of Tanker Bros., bulb importers, and Mr F. J. Brooker, of the Wellington Horticultural Society. Mr Fox said if, as the Horticultural Trades’ Association asserted, a Dutch firm was offering bulbs retail free of freight and exchange such a business was not likely to be successful, because all ‘would be out of season on arrival, and the public would soon learn to leave them alone, apart from any inferiority claimed.