EXPORT VALUES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1771, 9 June 1913, Page 4

EXPORT VALUES.

CUSTOMS OFFICER EXPLAINS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, Juuo 8. Tho suggestion thrown out to the effect that returns dealing with the values oE oxports from tho Dominion are misleading and inaccurate, was brought under tho notice, of officials to-day. Mr. J. Wratt, Collector, of Customs, was asked to explain how tho valuations published bv tho Customs Department were arrived by law," said' Mr. Wratt, "that every practical method is used by the Department to ensure accuracy. "It is cnactcd by law," said Mr. Wratt, "thta every exporter of goods of any description. mis (o submit ail export entry return to tho Customs offico within six days ol the shipment of goods, and there is a penalty of .£2O fine for those who do' 'not 00111ply with the regulation. These ex|>ort entry returns must contain a description of tho goods, a nil must also nave their valuo marked on tho return. Once a quarter the Customs Department make up a quarterly return from these export entry returns, in which tho total amount of goods exported, with their total and averago values are included under their separate headings. This quarterly return is submitted to tho local Chamber ot Commerce, whose export committee goes carefully through tho return and checks every item. Any value shown that 'he committee think is cither too high or too low is queried and' referred back to tho Customs Department. Tho Department in its turn refers these queried values back to tho original exporters, who have .tho opportunity of substantiating their statements or correcting any mistake that limy have been made inadvertently. An additional check was provided by manifests supplied by tho shipping companies, which set out all the goods shipped, but ot courso did not includc values, as ilio companies could not bo expected to know these. A further check of value was applied by tho Customs Department itself, for shipping ports were checked against each other. For instance, supposing shipments of meat from Tiiuarn and Lyttelton showed a discrepancy in the average value the Customs Department would not pass these .values as correct until nn_ exhaustive inquiry had been mado into that discrepancy. It might be found that tho difference in values was capablo of a proper explanation, but, on the other hand, this method of mterport checking might bring a mi&tako to light, anil lead to its correction. So far as I know, this -method is carried out all over the Dominion, and it will 1m seen that c\oi.v possible care is taken to M'" 101 ' J 8 !"" as nearly correct as possible. It; was owing to' complaints made by tho Chambers of Commerce regarding values soma venrs ago that the co-operation of these bodies was sought by tho Customs Donartment. and Chambers have had tho opportunity i of inspcctinff, verifying, or correcting every valuo that was mado by tho Department."