IMPORTED FARM IMPLEMENTS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 371, 30 September 1933, Page 6

IMPORTED FARM IMPLEMENTS

Request for Reduced Duty TARIFF COMMISSION Press Association.— Copyright. Christclnri'ch, Sept. 29. A request that the duty on Canadian and American farm implements sritmld be reduced was the chief matter on which evidence was heard by the Tariff Commission to-day. Messrs. R. H. Webb and A. C. Holmes, representing Aulsebrook and Co., supported evidence given at Wellington asking for the retention of the present duties on biscuits, chocolate and confectionery. Mr. Thomas A. Roberts, New Zealand manager of the Nestles AngloSwiss 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 at present the duties on drills, discs and 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, and British free. He asked that American tractors be admitted free. On engines for harvester thrashers the present duty was. American 25 per cent, and nine-fortieths 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 nine-fortieths and British 10 per cent. He asked that the American tariff be reduced to the British rate. Mr. Morgan 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 in the 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 no British tractors were imported into New Zealand at present as they had proved a failure. He therefore considered the foreign make should be admitted free. He also considered too big a tribute was paid by the purchasers of motor trucks.

Professor 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 he wished to oppose the imposition of the duty on foreign separators.

Mr. Sidney Langeveldt, manager for the present genera! duty of 35 per cent, with 5 per cent, surtax on drills, cultivators, disc'harrows, fertiliser drills andother agricultural machinery made in Canada should be reduced to the scale of the British preferential tariff of 10 per cent, plus per cent, surtax. The present duties made it impossible to import implements from Canada which had been in use for many years. Mr. Frank Steans sought an increase in the duty on foreign fish hooks, suggesting an increase from 25 to 50 per cent.