Tariff and Development Board Notice No. 372—Inquiry Concerning Protection for New Zealand Industry Producing Locks, etc., Classified in Tariff Heading 83.01

1. Following receipt by the Minister of Customs of a report from the Emergency Protection Authority concerning temporary protection for the New Zealand industry producing cylinder rim night latches, the Minister informed the Board, in a letter dated 12 July 1973, that the Authority had concluded that urgent action was necessary to protect the local industry, and consequently had recommended that the Tariff be amended by creating a new sub-heading for cylinder rim night latches, with provision for Ministerial approval of types not available from local manufacture, and with a temporary additional duty applied to the substantive item, being 75 percent of the amount by which the c.i.f. value is less than $3.20 per article. Government had accepted the Authority's recommendation and the change in the rate of duty was effected on 13 July 1973.

2. In accordance with the provisions of the Tariff and Development Board Act, the Minister has requested the Board to undertake an inquiry and report on what permanent form of protection, if any, is considered necessary to protect the New Zealand industry in relation to the importation of the goods covered by Tariff items 83.01.001, 83.01.009, 83.01.011, 83.01.012, 83.01.013, 83.01.018, 83.01.029 and 83.01.039. The Board's terms of reference have been widened to include all the goods of Tariff heading 83.01 on the grounds that there is a degree of substitutability between cylinder rim night latches and other types of locks and because of the general relationship between the various items included in the heading. The Minister also considered that it would be best to include the whole Tariff heading so that any necessary restructuring of the Tariff could be undertaken having regard to the total effect on all the related goods.

3. For the purposes of taking evidence the Board will hold a public hearing in the Hearing Room, Eighth Floor, Cumberland House, Upper Willis Street, Wellington, on Tuesday, 30 October 1973, commencing at 10.30 a.m.

4. Parties intending to make representations or requests about appropriate rates of customs duty are asked to take into account the statements of 7 May 1973 by the Minister of Overseas Trade about the phasing out of British preferences from the New Zealand Tariff, and by the Minister of Trade and Industry about the interim New Zealand - Australia Trade Agreement 1973. Copies of these statements can be obtained from the undersigned. In a letter dated 6 April 1973 the Minister of Trade and Industry indicated that, while Government has asked the Board to consider the question of a single tariff rate, for trade policy reasons the Board's recommendations on this aspect will not necessarily be made public for the time being.

5. Any person who intends to tender evidence should lodge, in typewritten form, 14 copies of public evidence and 12 copies of confidential evidence, to be presented under oath at the public hearing, at the Board's office no later than Tuesday, 9 October 1973. In preparing this evidence the "Notes for Information and Guidance of Interested Parties" prepared by the Board may be of assistance. Copies of these notes may be obtained from the Board's office.

Dated at Wellington this 24th day of July 1973.

P.O. Box 27046, Wellington.

F. E. BEAUFORT, Secretary, Tariff and Development Board.

SCHEDULE

*Tariff items created with effect from 13 July 1973 pursuant to E.P.A. recommendations.

†Plus 75 percent of the amount by which the c.i.f. value is less than $3.20 per article.

RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF THE RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND AS AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON WEDNESDAY, 6 JUNE 1973

17 July 1973.

M. R. HUTTON, Chief Accountant.