“INIQUITOUS” DUMPING

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1933, Page 5

“INIQUITOUS” DUMPING

PROFESSOR MURPHY'S QUERY.

DEFINITION AS MORAL WRONG.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Aug. 16.

The use or the term “iniquitous” in relation to the dumping of Australian sheet lead led to a brisk exchange of views at the Tariff Commission to-day between Professor Murphy and Mr. J. Hardley, secretary of Dominion Lead Mills Ltd., who asked that duties of 15 per cent, for other Dominions and 20 per cent, for foreign be imposed. He said Australian sheet lead was being landed in New Zealand at a price £1 to £1 10s below production costs. In the local industry five men were employed, but it was hoped to treble that number when conditions improved. “It is a most iniquitous thing that dumping should continue to 'be allowed,” he said Professor Murphy: “Why-is it iniquitous? It seems to me that our builders and plumbers are obtaining useful material very cheaply.” Mr. Hardley said that the local industry, after struggling along, had put £20,000 into the buildings, thinking that it would get some measure of justice. Professor Murphy: “Yes, but what do you mean by some measure of justice?” Mr. Hardley: “That this country would never allow dumping.” Professor Murphy: "There is. no iniquity about that.” Mr. Hardley: “There is.” Professor Murphy: “You took a trading risk.” ' Mr. Hardley replied that he knew that but if a local industry was obliterated by dumping, prices would rise to the former level. Professor Murphy said that "iniquitous” connoted something morally wrong, and that if the commission was unable to meet Mr. Hardley’s wishes it would be implied that the commission was conniving at commercial immorality. “I don’t want to be associated with something morally wrong; my reputation won’t stand it,” he said. (Laughter.) Mr. Hardley agreed to substitute the term “unfair trading.” He said his real grievance was against the New Zealand Government for allowing dumping. ■Professor Murphy: “In order to keep five men in a job you want to raise the cost of lead in New Zealand?” Mr. Hardley. “We don’t. It is saving the individual in the long run, because if we are obliterated it will mean that imported lead will be put up to the price it is in Australia.”