FARMING MACHINERY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18207, 30 September 1933, Page 8

FARMING MACHINERY

LOWER DUTY URGED MATTER OF PRINCIPLE EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH,, last night. A request- that the duty on Canadian and American farm implements should bo reduced was the chief matter on which evidence was heard by the Tariff Commission to-day. Messrs. Rickards, Hickman, Webb, and A. C. Holmes, representing Aulsebrook and Company, supported the evidence given in Wellington asking for the retention of the present duties on biscuits, chocolates, and confectionery. Mr. Thomas A. Roberts, New Zealand manager of Nestles Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, asked that the present duties on cocoa be retained. Mr. R. W. Morgan, managing director of the International Harvester Company of New Zealand, said that the present duties on grain drills and disc harrows were British 10 per cent., Canadian 35 per cent, and 5 per cent, surtax. His company desired that the Canadian duty be reduced at least 10 per cent, on tractors and spare parts. The present duties were: American 10 per cent., and 5 per cent.; British free. He asked that American tractors be admitted free. On engines for harvester thrashers the present duty was American .25 per cent, and 9-40ths, and British 10 per cent. He desired that the duty be removed altogether on motor trucks and spare parts. The present duty was : American 40 per cent, and 9-40ths, and British 10 per cent. He,asked that .the American tariff be reduced’ to the British rate. PROTECTION TOO HIGH

He maintained that on grain drills, cultivators, disc harrows, and fertiliser distributors, the natural protection given to local manufacturers should be sufficient, with the present duties. The amount of protection given at present in tho case of drills was 76 per cent., cultivators 75 per cent., disc harrows 73 per cent., and on fertiliser distributors 64 per cent. He maintained that this protection was altogether too high to give local manufacturers. He . said that no British tractors were imported into New Zealand at present, as they had proved a failure. He therefore considered that the foreign make should be admitted free. He also considered too big a tribute was paid by purchasers of motor trucks.

Professor B. E. Murphy: Do you take the view that all machinery for farmers should be admitted free on principle? Witness: Yes; this is entirely a primary producing country. Dealing with cream ■ separators, Mr. Morgan said ho wished to oppose tlio imposition of the duty on foreign separators.

Miv Sidiie’y Langevfeldt, manager for the Massey-Harris Company, asked that tho present general duty of 35 per cent., with 5 per cent, surtax, on drills, cultivators, disc harrows', fertiliser drills and other agricultural machinery mgde in Canada, should be reduced to the scale of the,, British preferential. tariff, 10 per cent, plus per cent, surtax. The present,duties made it impossible to import, implements from Canada which had been in rise for many years. Mr. Frank Steins sought an increase in the. duty on foreign, fish hooks, suggesting an increase from 25 to 50 per cent. . -*>**,«* W,