TNAG-0304-FCO40-340-Effects-of-tariffs-on-imports-of-cotton-textiles-to-UK-from--1971 — Page 163

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THE TIMES

Cutting dated

- 7 DEC 1971

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Hongkong protest at idea of UK import

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quota on cotton goods

By Peter Hill

Strong protests have been made by leading Hongkong textile organizations over reported moves by the British Government to restrict textile imports from the colony.

The Department of Trade and Industry yesterday again offered no confirmation of reports that the Government has decided to re-imposc quotas on Common- wealth cotton textile imports in- stead of pursuing the original plan of abolishing quotas in favour of tariffs.

But a spokesman confirmed that DTI officials yesterday began dis- cussions with representatives of the Hongkong textile industry who arrived in the United King dom at the weekend.

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A spokesman for the DTI said: The talks concern the overall position in view of the mounting concern being felt about the likely level of woven cotton textile im- poris next year."

Meanwhile, in a joint statement, the six main textile organizations in Hongkong said they "most upset and annoyed" by the 'arbitrary decision of the British

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were

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Government and strongly on-

decision a

to introduce

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top of a Common- quotas on wealth tariff.

This illustrated the absence of a sense of moral obligation of the Government Lowards British Hongkong people and showed bad faith, the statement added.

"If the British Government should persist in re-introducing quotas in 1972, we demand the corresponding withdrawal of the new Commonwealth preference tariff.

"There is a danger that the re- imposition of textile quetas by the British Government, despite her earlier decision to replace it by a tariff, would spur further trade protectionism prevailing in devel- oping countries ".

Leaders of the Textile Industry Support Campaign, a joint union- einployers body representing mainly smaller and medium-sized Lancashire textile interests, re- cently urged the Government to impose quotas at the same time as the tariff comes into effect at the beginning of next year.

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Mr Edmund Gartside, spokesman for the TISC, said that since he had received no confir- mation that the Government had shifted its ground, he could not comment but added that he would be" delighted ” if it had.

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