HARDWARE TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1921, Page 4

HARDWARE TRADE.

GOVERNMENT COMPETITION. By TalesTa oh Press Association Dunedin, Last Night. In the course of the proceedings of the conference of the New Zealand Hardware Association, just concluded at Queenstown, the following resolution was carried: “That we, the hardware merchants of New Zealand, in conference assembled, protest against the practice of the Government departments in importing large quantities of supplier from abroad, and in their establishment of large stores in New Zealand, thus withdrawing support from local merchants at a time when ample supplies are available in the Dominion. We contend that as the Government has the right to, and does impose heavy taxation upon traders by way of the annual license -for the right to trade, import duties and income tax, and also demands large sums by way of compulsory contributions to Government loans, the importers have the right to demand that the Government shall not enter into unfair competition, but that it should foster and encourage trade within the Dominion |o the fullest extent possible, rather than spend money outside of the Dominion. We contend further, that when the loss of revenue, cost of handling, administration, interest and other charges are taken into account, what appears at first sight to be a saving is not real, and that the Government really gains nothing by this very unfair practice.”