REPLY TO FARMERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19451, 28 March 1933, Page 9

REPLY TO FARMERS

PETTY QUARREL.” IMPORTERS’ VIEWS. By TelegraDh—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 27. In a statement to-day, in which it says that it notes with concern the petty quarrel which has developed between the New Zealand Manufacturers and the primary producers, the New Zealand Importers’ Federation says that New Zealand manufacturers naturally fear that the present artificial exchange rate may be used as a weapon when the tariff is being reviewed, and that the duties on many articles may be too drastically reduced on that account, and when the exchange rate falls, as it must bejfore long by the weight of London balances, they will find themselves in a most unenviable position. The Importer’s Federation agrees that the duties on a great many items coming into New Zealand are far too high, but it sympathises with the fears of the manufacturer, and urges that the Government should, in the first place, remove all restrictions from the exchange, and in the second place, set up the long promised Tariff Board immediately. IN SELF-DEFENCE? PRODUCERS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 27. The general secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation declared to-day that the manufacturers had always been most anxious to work in harmony with farmers. The Federation had never issued any criticism or any statement with reference to farm industries, except when forced to do so to answer some attack upon manufacturers. It was to be deplored that several of the farmers’ leaders had recently made public statements bound to antagonise urban industries and to provoke counter-at-tacks to the detriment of farmers. However, the position to-day of both farmers and manufacturers was so serious that, instead of fighting each other, they should work together on common ground, they being alike producers whose interests were largely identical.