DISCUSSION OF TARIFFS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 12

DISCUSSION OF TARIFFS.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. REVISION DESIRABLE. EARLY NEGOTIATIONS LIKELY. [THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, November 27. Tariff questions affecting Australia and New Zealand will probably be the subject of conversations between the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, and the Commonwealth authorities, when Mr Forbes reaches Sydney on his return from the Imperial Conference. Since the making of the tariff agreement between the two countries in 1922, Australian exports to New Zealand have fallen from £6,272,000 to £2,824,000, according to a recent statement by Mr Frank M. Forde, Assistant Commonwealth Minister for Customs; but in spite of the fact that Mr Forde expressed concern at this state of affairs, Australia enjoyed a balance of £1,484,198 in her trade with the Dominion for the first nine months of this year, as compared with a balance in her favour of £1,293,215 for the whole of 1929. Trade Figures Quoted. ! It was remarked by Mr Forde at the opening of the New Zealand offices in Sydney that New Zealand exported j £2,197,000 worth of goods to Australia in 1922, and that in 1927 the Dominion exports to tho Commonwealth were valued at £3,300,000. Last year, he stated, they were valued at £2,203,000. Using these figures as an argument, Mr Forde said it was cbvious that a revision of the agreement was desirable. Statement by Mr Gobbe. Reference to Mr Forde's statement was made by the Minister for Customs, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in an interview to-day. He said that the figures quoted were apparently for the Australian statistical year, which ends in June, and could not therefore be reconciled with those published in the New Zealand statistics. Figures supplied by Mr Cobbe from Now Zealand statistical records show that in 1922 Australia had a favourable trade balance with the Dominion of £2,004,805 ; or roughly £700,000 greater than that for 1929. By 1924, Australia's favourable balance had risen to £3,793,000; but in 1927 it had fallen to £598,213. There is stated to be an opinion in Australia that there is room for the development of a further market in New Zealand in dried vine fruits, rice, and wines. The Commonwealth also considers that the Dominion should extend her an added measure of preference. Revision of Agreement. Mr Cobbe stated that it was expected that negotiations would shortly take place between the Commonwealth and New Zealand Governments, with a view to revising the existing tariff agreement between the two countries. No doubt, ho added, the question of admitting these commodities into New Zealand would be the subject of consideration. Beyond this the Minister was not prepared to go at the moment, although it is understood that the whole tariff question is receiving the earnest consideration of the New Zealand Government.