NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 224, 16 June 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

The Customs Department is showing more, zeal than discretion in its endeavours to protect the revenue.An instance has been cited locally of the effect of its practice of calculating the value of goods from foroign countries at the standard pre-war rate of exchange, and charging duty_ accordingly. The present rate with France is about 50 f/tancs to the pound sterling. On a shipment of French gloves the Customs have worked out the value on the basis of the pre-war rate of 25 francs to a pound. The result is that duty at 9s. a pair instead oi 4s. fid. has to be paid. This mearis that the advantage of a favourable exchange _ is largely lost to New Zealand importers and the public, and adds unnecessarily to the prevailing high prices. If the same practice is followed on imports from tho United States, and values estimated not at tho present unfavourable exchange but on the prewar basis, the result is to place the French exporter under a heavy and totally unwarranted handicap as compared with the American.

The moat famine in Sydney reported yesterday appears to offer ah opportunity of disposing of some of our accumulation of mutton that should not be missed. Tho chief obstacle seems to be the Commonwealth import duty of threepence a pound, but it is stated that no difficulty is anticipated in arranging for its suspension. Tho position in the meat trade is such that any opportunity of disposing of surplus stocks should be promptly seized. If the state of the New South Wales market is such as to make profitable the shipment of any considerable quantity of mutton, tho necessary refrigerated cargo space should be secured, and the cargoes got across without delay. This is a time when a wideawake eye needs to be kept by all concerned in the meat trade for any outside markets that, mav offer from time to time

A suggestion has been mado that were a wireless plant installed on Pitcairn Island, the islanders would lie in a position to supply passing shipping with fruit on notice being given. Pitcairn Island lies midway between New Zealand and Panama and the liners on the Panama route ustially pass within a few miles of it in their long and monotonous three weeks' across the Pacific. A wireless installation should not cost a peat deal and should bo a convenience for navigational purposes. The island is under tho jurisdiction of the High

Commissioner for tho Western Pacific, but it is New Zealand traffic that would benefit. If the amount of fruit obtainable and tho other advantages warrant it tho Government might well make a grant towards cost of a wireless plant, and so bring this long-isolated little community into touch with the stream of commerce and civilisation that now flows past its door.

■H -X -X * A good deal has been heard in a general way of the activities of the anti-profiteering tribunals, but the public is still without tho specific information it should bo given as to tho findings on prices made the subject of investigation. It is only 'when a case comes into Court that the purchasing public' is able to glean anything of value for practical guidance. A little while ago wo had light on the subject of infants' food, and some is now being thrown on alarm clocks. Of tho multitude of other prices investigated and found reasonable or otherwise we are told nothing. The chairman of the local tribunal a little while back said that in certain cases investigated a reduction had been ordered. What were the goods, what was the original price asked, and what was the reduction ordered? Why cannot this information be made available for the thousands of purchasers who may be daily purchasing these very articles? Are only the individual complainants to benefit by the inquiries of the' tribunal, or is its object to afford general guidance to all as to what has been found to be a fair price 1 Wo have directed attention several timet to this matter, but so far without result. The public is entitled to the maximum of practical assistance and guidance from*the work of the tribunals,' and it is getting the minimum. Porhaps the now Minister in charge of the Board of Trade will givo the matter his attention.

According to the manager of the Auckland tramways, tho Government is about to issue regulations which will forbid the carriage ol folding perambulators on tramcars. Whatover may be thought of it in other centres, where this concession to mothers is withheld, action on these lines will certainly arouse vigorous protests in Wellington. On the local tramways pushcarts ana similar small vehicles are carried free (except when they are being transported empty as luggage) and the privilege is of great value to mothers—particularly those who have no household help. It greatly simplifies the problem of "carrying the baby" and enables women to undertake journeys here and there about tho town which they could not otherwise attempt. The withdrawal of the privilege would bo felt, perhaps, most severely by suburban dwellers, but it is valued and largely utilised also by mothers who go to the seaside and other suburbs tor an airing or to visit their friends. Substantial reasons would be needed to justify any. departure from the existing practice, and the fact that it has been in force so long on the local tramways without giving rise to any trouble strongly suggests that no such reasons exist. Conductors and motormen, as far as Observation goes, are_ particularly obliging in assisting women to board and alight from the trams with their pushcarts. _In Auckland something has been said about tho difficulty of safely stowing the little vehicles on tho' tramcar platforms, but this ought_ to be easily overcome. The existing arrangement in Wellington has worked ,to all appearance so smoothly ahd pleasantly, and has so i much to commend it, that the City Council ought to be more than willing to press for the repeal of the contemplated regulation- so far as the local tramways are concerned.