DUTY ON SLIPPERS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14974, 22 May 1914, Page 3

DUTY ON SLIPPERS.

PROVISIONS OF NEW CUSTOMS. ACT. (SPECIAL TO '■THE T01.55.') , WELLINGTON, May 21. Tho Minister of Customs (tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) informed a reporter to-day that under the new Customs Act which had just been brought into force, it would bo possiblo to givosome relief in the matter of the duty upon those cheap slippers which have hitherto had to pay extortionate rates of duty amounting in somo cases to 115 per cent, or upwards on tho value of the goods. It is felt to bo a. very great anomaly, that any difference m duty should 'exist between slippers having carpet, twine, or felt soles, and uppers of felt, and other slippers with Arctic cloth uppers and soles of fibre, linoleum, or carpet, or other textile. It has therefore been decided that on and after February Ist. 1915, all ulippers having uppers, composed solely of felt, Arctic cloth, imitation camel hair, carpet, canvas, loogut, velvet, woven tibrc, cloth, or textile, and having rope, loogut, twine, fibre, linoleum, carpet, or textile solee. and having no leather in their composition, with tho exception of a heel stiffenor, which may be of leather or other material, 6hall be admitted at. a duty of 22J per cent, on the same footing as slippers of felt. 'Phc object of brinsiiig the concession into forco in February nest year is to give importers time to clear their stocks.