PROTECTION WANTED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 199, 8 September 1937, Page 8

PROTECTION WANTED

-Press Association.J

N.Z. Soft Goods Manufacture

INCREASING IMPORTATIONS

(By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The grave concern felt by New Zealand soft goods manufacturers at the largo and iucreasing v volume of lowpriced imported soft goods. will be expressed to-morrOW' afternoon when a deputation representing manufacturers of shirts, uuderclothing, f rocks, mantles, clothing, hosiery, millinery and knitwear meets the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. D. G. Sullivan. To-day representatives of soft goods manufacturers from the main centres held a-couference in Wellington when the case to be presented to tho Minister was approved. In the meantime the organisation has been infonned by Mr. Sulliyan that Cabinet proposes to set up a committee of Ministers to consider the problem of competitive importations and to recommend to Cabinet whatever protective steps are considered necessary. "My department, in eonjunction with the Customs Departmeut,,; wroto Mr. Sullivan, "has becu collccting considerable data Avith regard to tbe effect on ' manufacturing industries of the industrial legislation and inerease in imports (due to the greater prosperity of the people of New Zealand). It has . now been decided by Cabinet to constitute a committee comprising Hons. W. Nash, W. Langstone, H. G. R. Mason and myself, to consider these reports and submit, at the earliest possible date, recommendationa to Cabinet 011 the present position of manufacturing industries and what steps should be taken to protect them from overseas comjpetition which threaten* tbeir progress."