HIGH TARIFF WALL NOT BEING SOUGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 138, 1 September 1927, Page 13

HIGH TARIFF WALL NOT BEING SOUGHT

MODERATE INCREASE ONLY (Special to THE SUN.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. “An impression seems to have been created that manufacturers are urging the erection of a high tariff wall,” said Mr. J. H. Blackwell, chairman of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, at the annual meeting to-day. “This is entirely incorrect. The facts are that about 12 or 13 industries are asking for a moderate increase in the modest protection given them. “New Zealand has never been a high tariff country,” he continued. “Out of imports totalling £52,000,000 in 1925, £25,000,000 were free of duty except 1 per cent, primage; hence 47 h per cent, of the imports, including almost everything required in farming operations, were free of duty- There are very few countries in the world with such a large free list. “Of the total of £8,000,000 collected in 1925 in customs duties, £3,000,000 were duties on spirits, alcoholic liquors and tobaccos, and the primage duty, leaving £5,000,000 collected on all other dutiable imports, equalling slightly over 10 per cent, on the total. Accordingly, the statement that protection has been the cause of the higher cost of production in our primary industries will not bear analysis.”