A CUSTOMS GRIEVANCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 960, 29 October 1910, Page 5

A CUSTOMS GRIEVANCE.

ALLEGATION OF "SQUEEZING."

When the Imprest Supply Bill was being considered in Committee in tho House of Representatives' last night, Mr., Masscy. drew attention .to a complaint which was being, made, by sonio importers, at Auckland that they were being overcharged, in . the matter of tho collcctidn of ad valorem duties. The Act provided that the ad valorem duty should be understood, to be the fair market value of the goods for homo consumption, together with the cost of casing, etc. .What was • being complained of. was this: Some merchants bought direct from the wholesalo firms in the older countries. Tho difficulty, however, came in where tho importers did their v. business through agents. Then an attempt was being made by the Customs officials to make the commission which was paid to the agent part of the value on. which, duty was charged. If the importers strenuously objected, tho matter, he understood, was not pressed, but if they were weak it was collected. Thero should, he contended, bo a Board of Appeal, as was the case in other countries.

The' Hon. T. Mackenzie said that the matter had not previously been brought. under his notice. Ho would be only too glad to look into tho point. It ought to bo tho duty of the Customs officers ..not. to do anything that would harass the importers—or strain the »qirit of the Act. (Hear, hearsj