NEW ZEALAND'S MANUFACTURES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND'S MANUFACTURES

PROTECTION BY TARIFFS "INCREASE WILL NOT BE RESENTED" REPORTED OFFICIAL VIEW IN BRITAIN [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, September 20. The claim that any increase in tariffs imposed on British goods that were justified from the aspect of protecting the Dominion's manufactures would not be resented in England, where there was official recognition of the principle that the Dominions were entitled to take this form of action where necessary, was advanced by Mr L. Withall, Federal Secretary of the Associated Chambers of Manufacturers of Australia, at a complimentary luncheon given by the Auckland Manufacturers' Association. Mr Withall disputed a contrary view expressed on the subject by Mr R. H. McKenzie, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd.- Mr Withall is in Auckland on his way back to Australia fr«. i England, where he was a member of the Australian trade delegation that recently conducted negotiations for a new trade agreement with the British Government. Mr Withall explained that it had been hoped by the delegation to persuade *he British Government to replace the Ottawa trade agreement with a new agreement. Some of the political clauses of the Qttawa agreement were now pressing on Australian industry. After three months of negotiation little apparent progress had been achieved; but nevertheless, the visit could not be described as lacking in success. Development of Industries The British Government recognised that development in the Dominions was impossible to achieve on the growth of primary industries alone; but must be coincident with the expansion of secondary industries. That official attitude affected New Zealand equally with Australia. New Zealand was clearly entitled to go full speed ahead with the development of its industrial resources.

"I notice that Mr R. H. McKenzie # of Hamilton, considers that New Zealand is no longer the white haired boy it used to be in England, because of tariff increases," continued Mr Withall.' "I have no hesitation in saying emphatically that criticism of that kind has no sound basis, and is entirely unjustified. There may be a few manufacturers ;in England who, of s tariffs, 'send less to New Zealand tKa'h before; but on the other hand there are scores who are supplying equipment, raw materials, and machinery to Dominion industries who never did so before. Greater development of industry means greater development of trade."