REDUCTION OF DUTIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19372, 9 July 1937, Page 12

REDUCTION OF DUTIES

OPPOSED BY MINISTER ATTITUDE MADE CLEAR LOCAL INDUSTRY FIRST (Per PreßS Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Reference was made by the Hon. D. G Sullivan, Minister of Industries and Commerce, to-day, to a Press Association report of a deputation which waited on him at Hastings on July 5 regarding the competition that New Zealand woollen manufacturers have to meet from Australia. "The president of the Chamber ol Commerce stated that the importations from Australia were increasing and a reduction in the tariff would enable a bigger proportion of goods to be imported from Great Britain, said' the Minister. . "In response to my question, Mr. Baird, the president, stated that the object of his representations was, first, to protect our woollen mills and, secondly, to encourage importation from Britain rather than from Australia. The Press Association report states that I expressed sympathy with the proposal, and it is possible that the manufacturers may construe this as an indication that I was agreeable to a reduction in the duty to enable a greater importation of woollen goods from Great Britain. '.'This is not so, and I made it abundantly clear to the deputation that I was sympathetic towards the New Zealand industry and said there could be no argument against the principle of first building up our own local industry and, secondly, if we must, import, it is right and proper that our orders should be given preferably to the United Kingdom which is our best customer. I desire to make this clear so that it will not be imagined I expressed agreement with the proposal to reduce the duties on imported woollen boods in competition with our local manufacturers."