BOX TIMBER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 64, 7 June 1927, Page 14

BOX TIMBER

TARIFF BOARD NEEDED AUCKLAND MANUFACTURERS The General Committee of the Industrial Association met yesterday, Mr. J. A. C. Allum presiding. In a letter from Messrs. Ellis and Burnand to the association, it was complained that the duty on timber imported into the Dominion for butter boxes was not achieving its object. The timber was liable to a duty of 4s a 100 feet, but the New Zealandarticle was not protected to that extent because a drawback was allowed when the boxes were filled with butter and exported. That showed the necessity of a tariff board like the Australian board that would consider the tariff openly, said a member. The letter was referred to the Tariff Committee with power to write to the Comptroller of Customs. The Department of Industries and Commerce advised that all education boards had been directed by the Minister of Education to use New Zea-land-made tiles. x On the recommendation of the chairman it was decided to take no action in support of the Wellington association’s protest against the increase of the bank rate. The Comptroller of Customs wrote explaining that certain Australianmade can washers had been admitted duty-free because a certain number were, made specially for New Zealand. Several present stated that the machines were not made for New Zealand. The chairman spoke of the explanation as absurd. The Minister need not be so solicitous for Australian manufacturers. It was then decided to write direct to the Minister of Customs. The secretary reported that applications for space at the Auckland Winter Exhibition were coming forward freely and that three-quarters of the available space was booked up.