PRINTING INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1933, Page 12

PRINTING INDUSTRY

, CARDS AND STATIONERY

RETENTION OF DUTIES

j Several cases iv extension of the general statement made to the Tariff Commission by the Federation of Master Printers .'of New Zealand in July were presented ! to 1110 CommigEton yesterday afternoon. i The Comptroller of Customs (Dr. G. Craig) presided, and associated with him wero Professor B.\K. Murphy and Messrs. J. .15. Gow and G. A. Pascoe. Application was made by the Globe Printing Co., Wellington, for the present tariff position regarding counter books, roll tickets, and tie-on tags to be mamJ tamed. Iv all three Hues, it was stated, there was keen competition from .England. Iv tho case of eouuter books special j.'lant had been installed at considerable expense, and unless the present rate of duty was maintained it would be impossible for the applicants and other similar iinnb to meet, the English competition. A. D. Willis, Ltd., Wacganui, asked for die retention of the present duty on ijritish playing cards. It was submitted Lhat without the duty it was doubtful whether the firm could suecesstuiiy .compete with playing cards from Home. On behalf of H. K. Geddis and Co., Ltd., proprietors of the "Free Lance," Mr. A. L Geddis made representations for the retention of the present conditions governing the importation of printing papers from all soure'es as basic materials. Representations were made by Mr. H. J. Tubbs, of John Dickinson and Go. (N.Z.), Ltd., and Mr. W. 11. Preston, of Ales. Cowan and Sons (N.Z.), Ltd... that the present duties on manufactured stationery be maintained. Evidence was given that both firms were subsidiaries of English companies making in a, large way of business both paper and manufactured stationery. Each had laid down a local factory as a direct result of the 20 per cent, to 25 per cent, tariff imposed in New Zealand on their manufactured products. Although the tariff was encouraging rather than protective a reversal of it at the present time would be an extremely serious matter for the firms in question. It was their considered opinion that although the present tariff operated in a fairly protective way on fines of manufactured stationery which were simple in type and therefore naturally produced in New Zea- ■ land, the more elaborate class of goods could under normal rates of exchange be imported. economically. Mr. Tubbs. submitted that the United Kingdom manufacturer had to pay.2o per cent, duty on raw materials imported from foreign sources, and as the New Zealand factories had been established with a view to using British material it was felt that more than an equal ■ footing with the British manufacturer could not be asked for. __________