NEW ZEALAND TARIFF ON, FOOTWEAR

Southland Times, Issue 23375, 6 December 1937, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TARIFF ON, FOOTWEAR

RETALIATION IN BRITAIN FEARED LONDON, December 3. New Zealand has been placed on the threshold of a delicate situation with manufacturers in the Midlands as the result of a leakage of details of confidential inquiries from the New Zealand Government to the British Government about the tariff on footwear from England. It is reliably understood that New Zealand merely sounded the British Government about a proposal to grant additional protection to local manufacturers. The gist of the communication was handed on confidentially to the British National Federation of Boot and Shoe Manufacturers. It is now feared that similar tactics to those employed by Manchester against Australia during the negotiations of the Japanese trade treaty may be used against New Zealand in order to protect Midlands exports to New Zealand, which are worth £1,250,000 a year. One of the immediate effects of the leakage has been a setback to the New Zealand dairy produce campaign inaugurated by the High Commissioner (Mr W. J. Jordan) at Leicester on November 30. Already it has been discovered that there have been subtle attempts by certain traders to belittle the campaign. It is feared that these attempts may extend to the hosiery and woollen trades.