NZ. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM IN GREAT DANGER

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 July 1947, Page 4

NZ. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM IN GREAT DANGER

S(WE INDUSTRIES HAVE UNECONOMIC PROTECTION (P.A.) Wellington, July 23 The view that New Zealand's commercial and industrial system was in greater danger than at any other time in its history way expressed* by the president of the United Kingdom Manufacturers and New Zealand Representatives’ Association, Mr. G. R. Hansard, at the annual meeting today.

Mr. Hansard ’said that Britons could not understand the total prohibition that New Zealand placed on certain imports from the United Kingdom “The consulting of United Kingdom interests as to what goods could be economically imported appears to have been overlooked,” he continued,

“and in many cases where importation has been totally prohibited the United Kingdom manufacturer does not gen* erally appear to have been Invited to express his views. We as an association welcome the establishment in New Zealand of branches of any British manufacturer with British production machinery and with British technicians who desire to manufacture here without the import prohibition of similar goods. Surely freight, exchange, insurance and landing charges and, in many cases, Customs duty should be sufficient protection for any industry when it is borne in mind that, even excluding duty, these charges increase the f.o.b. price bj r from 37i per cent, to 47i per cent. If goods cannot be manufactured with the above protection, plus, In many cases, Customs duty, they should be classed as uneconomic and the labour should be diverted to primary industries and other secondary industries that are economic.”