INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM IN DANGER

Chronicle (Levin), 24 July 1947, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM IN DANGER

WELLINGTON, July 23. The view that New Zeaiand's commercial and industrial system was in greater danger than at any time in its history', was expressed by the president of the United Kingdom Manufae turers' and New Zealand Bepresentatives ' Association, Mr. G. K. Hansara, at the annual meeting today. Mr. Hans&rd said that Britons could noi understand the totai prohibition tha: New Zealand placed on certain importsfrom the United Kingdom. "The consulting of the United King dom interests as to what goods could bt economically imported, appears to have been overlooked, " he eontinued, "and in many cases wliere importation has been totally prohibited, the Unitei Kingdom manufacturer does noi generally appear to have been in vited to express his views. We, as an association, welcome the establishmeni in New Zealand of branches of any British manufacturer with British production machinery aud with British technicians, wlip desire to manufacturc here without the import prohibition ot similar goods. Surely freight, exchange, insurance, lan'ding 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 increas^ the f.o.b. price by from 374 per ceut, to 474 per cent. If goods cannot be mauufactured with the above protec.tiou plus, in mauy cases, customs duty, they should be classed as uneconomie aud the labour should be diverted to primary industries and other secondary industries that are economic. "