THE TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1921, Page 4

THE TARIFF.

manufacturers concernee BETTER TREATMENT WANTED DEFECTS POINTED OUT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Manufacturers, individually and collectively, are giving much attention to the new tariff, which has dismayed the heads of some important industries. At the invitation of the executive of the Industrial Corporation of New’ Zealand (an organisation of about seven, hundred manufacturers) representatives of the Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin industrial associations met at Wellington this morning to consider the course of action that should be taken to impress on the Government the necessity for reasonable treatment of New Zealand industries.

The delegates reported that their associations had adopted resolutions against the inclusion o-f Australia in the first schedule with the United Kingdom, as Australia had* given New Zealand less favorable treatment than she had granted to the United States. In the Australian tariff New Zealand was on the same basis as Japan aiid other foreign countries. After reference to a statement that the Government might alter the present position in regard to Australia if the Commonwealth continued its present policy in relation to New Zealand, it was remarked that the Government had put the cart before the horse. After Australia had put a 12ft. fence against New Zealand, the Dorninion Government had left the way open here for Australia. The right action here would have been to put up a fence of the same height as Australia s, then the barrier here would have been lowered if Australia agreed to equal lowering. New Zealand manufacturers suffered severely from Australian dumping during the past twelve months, and as the tariff now stood Australia was practically encouraged to continue dumping. It was mentioned also that the present treaty with South Africa worked in a one-sided .way to South Africa’s advantage. The reason was lack of shipping facilities from New Zealand to South Africa. Canada also could benefit unduly by being in the same schedule as the United Kingdom, especially when proper attention was given to the fact that large sums of United States of America capital were invested in industries in Canada for the purpose of taking advantage of any preferential treatment in exports from Canada to other British countries. The meeting resolved unanimously to urge upon the Government that the United Kingdom alone should be in the first schedule of the tariff, and that all other countries should be immediately placed in the third schedule (general). The feeling of the meeting was that this course would enable them to apply fairly the principle of reciprocity in respect to other countries. It was agreed also that the preparation of aetans ot defects and anomalies in the tariff should be left to representatives of the various industries concerned, and that when the trade organisations were cdmpletely ready with their case, the full 'strength of the corporation would be used in an effort to obtain justice.