LOCAL SHIPBUILDING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 61, 5 December 1917, Page 6

LOCAL SHIPBUILDING

A COMPLAINT AND THE ANSWER,

At, tho annual conference of the Association of New Zealand Chombersof Commerce, held recently, the following remit was adopted: "That in the next amending tariff Bill provision be made for the removal of the disabilities imposed on New Zealand shipbuilders under existing regulations, as compared with those of the Australian tariff;" . It was pointed out that on a ship built in Now Zealand being transferred to the Australian register a duty .of 25 per cent, has to be paid to the Australian Government; but a ship built in Australia coming into New Zealand is admitted free. Further, if tho engines and boilers,of a steamer built in°New Zealand have to be imported a duty of 22} per cent, has to be paid on them, whereas in the case of a boat built in Sydney engines and boilers are admitted 'free if it is shown to the Customs authorities there that the ship is being built for export. On being approached in connection with the matter, the Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister of Customs, stated that' the position respecting locallybuilt ships bad not been correctly stated Tho impression was given that the engines and boilers for ships built in New Zealand are on a different footins: from those for ships built in Australia, whero, it is stated, "the _ engines and boilers are free if it is shown that the ship is being built for export." The case is exactly the. same in New Zoaland. Drawback of duty is obtained on engines built into vessels constructed for foreign' trade.