TARIFF MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 238, 2 July 1920, Page 8

TARIFF MATTERS

THE BILL NEXT SESSION COMPLAINTS OF ANOMALIES Tariff matters were mentioned in the House of .Representatives Teste relay. The presentation of ft return % the Minister of Customs (Sir William' Hemes) provided the opportunity. Mr. W. A. \teitch (Wanganui) asked if the Government intended to doal with the tariff during the present session. The Minister repilied that, as he had already 6tated in the House, a Tariff Bill would bo brought down next 6esHon. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchu'rch North; suggested that the Government shon'.d deal immediately with the anomaly of charging duty on present market valued instead of ou the actual cost of the goods. This arrangement was a form of profiteering./' The Loader of the Opposition (Hon. \V, D. S. Mac Donald) Bup|>ortod Mr. Isitt's complaint. He said that tho Customs Department had an officer in Britain, who reported increases in \alue if goods remained in Britain more than su

months after purchase. The arrangement did not obtain with regard to American or Japanese gcods, and it had tho effect in many cases of nullifying the preference allowed to British goods under the tarilt. A plea for the prevention of dumping was made by Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North). He said , that some New Zealand industries were very gravely prejudiced by the dumping of cheap imported goods, and ho cited the tile-making industry as nil example. The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invorcargill) protested against delaying the amendment of the tariff. Other countries were gaining an advantage while New Zealand waited. v . Sir William Hemes, in reply, said tbat the Customs duties were being levied ] on the system that had prevailed for tlio last thirty years or so. The collection of revenue was tho chief object of the Customs. He pointed to the practical impossibility of proceeding with tho reconstruction of the tariff in tho iirst session of a new Parliament, and said that he did not think the anomalies were doing much harm to anybody. The Prime 11mister was considering tho whole f>ystem of taxation this session, and the tariff ought to wait until the other taxes had been adjusted. As for dumping, if ncop..e wanted to sell goods.to Now Zealand at a loss to themselves, he did not think a "tariff would slop them. Ho would be glad to consider specific cases.