CUSTOMS RECIPROCITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15955, 17 October 1922, Page 7

CUSTOMS RECIPROCITY.

DUTY ON OATS. (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. An explanation of the outcome of the negotiations with Australia in regard to the duty on oats .was given by the Minister of Customs in the House last night, following a question by Mr Jones (Kaiapoi). The Hon. I). Stewart said that he had been seeking to get New Zealand oats into Australia at a lower duty than 1/6 per cental, without lowering the duty in New Zealand, for some of the Southern farmers feared Australian competition in the North Island if the local duty was lessened. He had been unsuccessful. The Australian Customs Department liad found a difficulty owing to the opposition of oat-growers who would consent to a reduction only if it operated in New Zealand as well. A deadlock had therefore arisen. He' had consulted all those people who were supposed to know, and as a result it had not seemed worth while giving away an item of dried fruit. It would have been unwise to give away this item for a reduction in the- oat duty, wli-cli represented no great advantage to New Zealand.' The reduction in oat duty from 1/6 to 1/- per cental really meant a reduction of about twopence por bushel. Australians had been handicapped in discussing the matter, because they could act only with the sanction of Parliament, and as Parliament was rising last Saturday they could not discuss it at length. Something might be done next year. It had been proposed that the variation should not come into force until next year, and therefore, as there was no export of oats between January and June, not much time would be lost if the- matter was arranged satisfactorily then. The cablegram which had appeared in the press was not quite correct in its, reference to dried fruits, off which it was stated New Zealand had refused to take the duty. There was no duty on dried fruits, and the suggestion was that New Zealand should impose a duty on foreign dried fruits, and New Zealand was prepared to do so if it got sufficient in■‘dpoeiftent,

.Mr Malcolm (Clutha) wished to know whether the Otago farmers’ Union, through it# secretary, had been consulted in regard to the oat ques.tion.

Mr Stewart replied that he would have been glad if.the Otago farmer had made known ills views before he had gone to Australia. The only representations he had received mere from people who did not wish ait arrangement. ipacie. lie understood that many would Lie willjng to facp a reduction if they could get ipto Australia at a lower duty. Air Ajalcolut: Hear, hear. “The real motiyo which prompted me in declining it,' added the Minister, ‘was thgt I mas not prepared to impose a dried fruit duty for so small a concession.”