The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, OCTOBER 17th., 1932. THE TRADE AGREEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, OCTOBER 17th., 1932. THE TRADE AGREEMENT.

Commenting oh the procedure necessary in connection with article eight of the trade agreement made at Ot- > tawa. The Hon. J. G-. Contes said it was necessary that an inquiry should be instituted into existing protective duties and where necessary reduce them as speedily as possible to such a level as will place the United Kingdom producer in the position of a domestic competitor, that is that the protection afforded to the New Zealand producer shall he on a level which will give the United Kingdom producer full opportunity of reasonable coii)|Oetit.o.i on the basis of the relative cost of economical and efficient production. It wid he a Teal investigation involving a general revision of the tariff. Tt will he noted that flic Australian agreement provided that a review should he made as soon as practicable by the Commonwealth Tariff Board of the existing protective duties, and that the Commonwealth Parliament should he ask»d to give effect to the recommendations of that bodv. The Canadian agree ment provided for Ue appointment of a tariff heard for the same purpose, and the Cai Tan Parliament would, he invited to a lept the recommendations made by its hoard. No such orovision is made in the Now Zealand

agreement, and accordingly it is not proposed to set up a tariff board in New Zealand. : -A decision will be made at an early date as to the form the investigation will take. It was intimated that a highly placed official -> ith a wide knowledge of th e tariff and allied subjects is due for early retirement and it- i.s- possible that his services, if available; will be utilised by the Government during the recess to carry out the work. On the other hand, it would he practicable to delegate the inquiry to an ad hoc committee. The statement made that our local industries will be sacrificed or betrayed bv the Ot-t'alwa agreement i.s absolutely fantastic. He emphasised that there is nothing in the- agreement, or in any of our obligations under it, that will prejudice the establishment or growth of sound in■di'istrial enterprises in New Zealand. Furthermore, New Zealand’s secondary industries will have ample opportunity fully to state their ease during the course of the inquiry we are to hold. It can be affirmed now that the measure of protection they will be afforded through the> tariff will depend on Ihe ability cf their renresentatives to demonstrate the efficiency of the industries 'and their economic justification. It was obvious that the hashcould not he- fixed in the light of the investigation into each individual industry.