TARIFF COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1933, Page 2

TARIFF COMMISSION

FUR THE R EVIDENCE. /Per Press Association — Copyright.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 29. The request that the duty on Canadian and American farm implements should be reduced was the chief matter on which evidence was heard by tlie Tariff Commission to-day. Messrs Richards, Hickman, Webb, and A. C. Holmes representing Aulsebrook and C'o., supported evidence that was given in Wellington asking for the retention of the present duties on biscuits, chocolate, and confectionery.

Mr Thomas A, Roberts, New Zealand manager of Nestles Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Coy., asked that the present duties on cocoa should be retained. Mr R. W. Morgan, managing director. of the International Harvester Coy., of New Zealand, said that the present duties oil grain and fertiliser drills and disc harrows were' British 10 per cent., Canadian 35 per cent., and also 5 per cent surtax. His company desired that the Canadian duty be reduct'd by at least 10 pet cent. On tractors and spare parts, the present duties were: American 10 per cent and 5 per cent; British free. He asked that American tractors be also admitted free. On the engines for harvester thrashers, the present duty was: American 25 per cent and nine fortieths; British, 10 per cent. He desired that this duty be removed altogether. On motor trucks and spare parts, the .present duty was: American 40 per cent., and nine fortieths; British. 10 per cent. He. asked that the American tariff be reduced to the British rate.

Mr Morgan maintained that on grain drills, cultivators, disc harrows and fertiliser distributors, the natural protection given to the local manufacturers should he sufficient with the present duties. The amount of protection given fit,.present in the case of. drills’was .76. per cent.; in that. of. cultivators 75 per cent.; on disc hatrows 73 per cent, and on fer.ilis.er distributors 64 per cent. He • maintained ..that this protection is altogether too high to', ’give to the local mamifaetdrers. He said that no British tractors were imported into New- Zea-land-‘at present, as they had proved, a failure. He, therefore, considered that •the foreign make should/ be admitted, free. . -

■ Mr! Morgan also considered that too big a tribute was being paid today ,by the : purchasers of ' motor trucks.

Professor Murphy: “Do you take the view that all of the machinery for the farmers should be admitted free, on principle?” Witness: “Yes. This is entirely a primary producing country.” Dealing with cream soparators, Mr Morgan said that he wished to oppose the imposition of a duty on foreign separators. Mr Sidney Langevelt, manager for the Massey Harris Coy., asked that the .present general duty of 35 per cent., with the 5 per cent surtax, on drills, cultivators, disc harrows, fertiliser drills and other agricultural machinery made in Canada should be reduced to the scale of the British preferential tariff, namely 10 per cent., plus 22}- per cent surtax. The present duties made it impossible to import .implements from Canada which had been in use for many years. Mr Frank Steans sought an increase in the duty on foreign fishhooks, suggesting an increase of from 25 to 50 per cent.