CUSTOMS CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 21, 20 October 1920, Page 3

CUSTOMS CHARGES

ALLIED GOODS IN AUSTRALIA

STOCKS TO BE RETURNED

According to many Sydney Importing firms thousands of pounds worth of goods now in bond will l)o returned to Italy, France, and other Allied countries, where they were manufactured, unless the Federal authorities immediately alter the pnrajnt system of imposing Customs duty. So ruinous arc the charges under the system of assessing duty by the Customs authorities that importevs declare that to take tho goods out of bond would mean that the linns would suffer a serious loss nntos they passed oh the Customs charges to the people. They, however, do not desire to make the people the victims of the svßteni.

"The mattor has been brought under the notice of the Minister for Customs on sevcaml occasions (slates the Sydney "Sun"), mid so far the only satißt'nettffli obtained Vr the importers is thnt "the Federal Government knew all about it, and would consider what action should be taken." This consideration has now extended over so lonu a period thnt. certain firms have arranged to hive large quantities of goods returned to Allied countries whence tlfl.'y were shipped on order for Australia. Summarised, the request mnde to the Minister for Customs is thnt the Customs dutv on goods imported from Allied countries, such as Prance and Italy, shall be assessed on the value of the ijoods expressed in sterling at the conversion rale ruling nt the time of shipment, instead of on the value expressed in sterling, converted at par. ■ Owing to the war the currency of most of the countries concerned has depreciated, and under the present system the Customs reconvert the currency rat- at the par pre-war rate. The effect of this is that goods invoiced to Australia, and paid for at the ratv. of, say, .£l, are aesessnl for duty as being worth J!3. Merchants say that the par rate recognised by the Customs is purely fictitious, and is continued merely to perpetuate an old system. They also declare that the present Hvitcm of assessing duties is, so far as Australia is concerned, penalising Allied countries like France and Italy that are. desirous of restoring their trade. One Sydney firm has goods valued at .about .£BO,OOO waiting in 'bond. This general merchandise was imported from Allied countries on the usual business arrangement that a draft for payment would be drawn against the firm at the conversion rate ruling at the time of thy shipment of the goods. Tii* Customs authorities, however, assesses the value of thc»; goods at the conversion' rate of pre-war times, and thereby places a fictitious value on the goods The excessive amount of duty to \y. pa! 3 nmv be imagined. , Large importers are unanimous in declaring that by permitting tho present system to continue the Federal Government is acting in opposition to tho spirit that governed tho decisions of the League of Nations. If the goods are shipped back as is t'»> present intention of merchant?, the loss of Customs revenue will 'bo great.