PRIMAGE OR TEA DUTY ?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 663, 13 November 1909, Page 6

PRIMAGE OR TEA DUTY ?

SIR J.'G. WASD'S DBVOTIONTO , A V !TBEE .';•".'. ■■ : : V; BREAKFAST > TABLE.' , ';. ,- ■>■>■ "' •■'■■. ■ '(Bi vTeleeraWi.-_Prosß'' ; ,Asa'ociation.)' ..''..'> • "'■•,•■ • '".■•' ''■'■ Christchurch, November 12., • The: following ! , telegrams' regarding, the . proposed imposition of 1, per : cent, primage duty on dutiable goods, have '■ passed : between the Auckland AVholesale Merchants' /Association and^the-Prime-- Minister^- 1 -, :■■■■■■,•'. ' '■

; "At a meeting of the Auckland , '•' Wholesale Merchants' Association; held : 'thisV morning ■• the following .Tesolutiori'.was .unanimously','- carried: •'That we protest against the :levy-'of Tper'ceiit.. primage duty on all,dutiablei goods; ; for reasons herrai set-fyKhrrU) '.that' the; charge' -is : vexa-: tious M 'reason df>tlie , 'ani6unf-of'. : trb\ible" ;f iii cqllfectiiig, l ''as;:Tt'ell: ; as / the^trouble :; it; gives' the importer in'" making', special declarations' arid the: producing of :anginal" inTpicesHof goods' in bond/some'of; goods having-been therefor years; (2)' that .the .charge>.is 60 '. small, 'that it becomes" exceedingly■ difficult to < collect this tax from, our customers, and. we: believe ;that" the bulk'of the-'tax .must fall oiuwholesale.and' retail traders. v We: ; rec : ommen'd..as'; l ari '.alternative that 2d.' per lb..be "placed onj tea, which is now on the'free list ,, ;xhis ; will give'th'e Treasurer a slißhtly.:greater ainbuiit, will;be;easier col r lected by.the, Customs, and is a tax, which will ■ fall equitably.'on"the whole:community., Tea is not'"free'in , any. other'country' that' we 'know of, and '.even 1 , now -,'in :• Free-trade; England' , the' duty, is,6d...per lb.-^{Signed);;A..\J.!;.Entrican, chairman; Edward Morton,'"secretary/' ' ' ; The Prime Minister. lias ..replied aa follows :— "Your telegram.' re, Customs, duties' to hand,, and I hav6 carefully' considered, ■ tKe" representations (Contained therein?l; much-.regret that I am unable to see iny way, to comply with the request.: Tour proposal is , , one':which; in e f. feet', would >mean taxing the •'breakfast table/ - and-.1;. have left all free goods' out, of; the T per cent.' primage duty.,in , 'order to ensure the, policy, of those goods which are how: free'remaining so. ' For this reason.! dq'.nbtEee my. '•way, .to make; a change in the direction sug-gosted.--(Signed)-; J. G;;'Ward.";; //: .■/■ ■:

■'; ?;!. : ; J ■/: •'; DUNE DIN'S i PROTESfi^ , ;: - ; ' ' : f\ ;. >~..V^J"».M T »J»s™ph;^Rrei.(''An.eili«Uen.i. -': / '•',■■■ ■ J :\ ••'■:■' •" '•' : ■'•;■■•■•■■<'■-■ Dunedln,' November ; I2.'.'' A' 'meeting- of' local" merchants' '■:■ protested strongly; against the form ;in whichthe Government. .jßropose' to .collect, primage "duty! .'.The, difficulty-. of computing: the: tax,; together with, getting, the ■, necessary ijoformatdqn fro m: the .Cuv toms,'Department, also ■the 'trouble caused 1 to Customs; officers;'are, considered 1 altogether , ' di^ro^pitionate,to'the' sum/te, be' raised..■' It' is suggested that if;a;iriore simple means;.of raising this revenue cannot.be adopted, primage duty sh'onld be' levied, on: all : dutiable 'goods as imported; 'and not ; on goods -in... bond., M&tcharits make the, suggestion .that/the-amount required could- be simply •.collected by the imposition of a temporary duiy'of an. eighth of a ■penny on, ; sugar.; ■,':..,;...-, .-Y..:•••■ .'../■•■.■•'•.'•■"•'•' . ;