EXEMPT FROM TARIFF

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1932, Page 4

EXEMPT FROM TARIFF

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

FIRST ACHIEVEMENT

Exemption of New Zealand produce from Britain's 10 per cent, revenue tariff was the first achievement of the Conference, according to Mr. Coates. "The immediate purpose of the Qttawa.Conference,, so i'ar as Ke>v Zea-

land was concerned, was to obtain as*-. sured markets for our exports, and for these:Jmarkets we look mainly to the United Kingdom," said Mr. Coates. "First,; then, we sought continued exemption from the United Kingdom's 10 .per cent, revenue, tariff. This exemption: :was due to expire oil 15th: November next. Had it not been for the 6ttaw§ Coherence,,....or had-;>yire. failed.-to- reaefeagreement, the tariff would- have fallen, on our products imported into the United Kingdom after that date, just a month hence. The first achievement of the agreement, provided'for in Article 1, is.that our staple'exports are to remain, exempt from the tariff. • .'• . '' Moreover,. an increased margin. of preference, mostly "of the order of 15 per cent.;; instead of the former 10 per cent., is to be granted to many New Zealand-exports. This applies to butter,' cheese, apples, pears, eggs, milk products, and honey. On.'a-further substantial list of our. exports' the margin of 10 pet cent, preference over foreign products i&, to1-be maintained. The 15 per cent.list covers many foodstuffs, the 10 per cent. ..list covers articles which are-the raw materials of British manufacturing industries. PREFERENCE TOR PIW YEARS. "A'highly valuable provision now conceded by the United . Kingdom is that these preferences on New Zealand products are, for the most part, guaranteed to continue for at least five years. A reservation in relation to dairy products (schedule A to the agreement) enables the United Kingdom, after the , espiry of .three years, aijd in the.interests,' of the United Kingdom . producer, to impose a duty on Empire products,, while maintaining the existing margin of preference over foreign produce, or. to introduce a system of quantitative regulation of- all supplies. But generally the- arrangements concluded at Ottawa are effective for five years, and thereafter until six months' notice of denunciation has been given by either party. "The list of New Zealand exports on which preference is ; guaranteed is set out in the 'schedules to our agreement. Those schedules are not identical in the products enumerated with the schedules of other Dominions. Our schedules include only those products in which New Zealand is at present interested as an exporter. But in this connection it is to be added that, if we build up an export trade to the United Kingdom in any line now included in the .schedule of another Dominion but not in our "own, our position is safeguarded. We will enjoy the benefit of the preference. "We will enjoy what may be called "most-favoured-Dominion treatment." If we export, for example tobacco or preserved fruit, we automatically become entitled to the preference which is given to any other Dominion." " '