CUSTOMS TARIFF

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 47, 19 November 1926, Page 10

CUSTOMS TARIFF

PROPOSED REVISION MODIFICATION OF AGREEMENTS A PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT A preliminary announcement .relative io the promised revision of the Customs tariff appeared in the Gazette last night. The notice stated that it was proposed to revise the tariff during next session, and drew the attention of those interested to the provisions of section 130 of (he Customs Act, 1913, as amended in 1921. Tlie section in question is couched in the following terms: "(1) If, after any agreement is made (whether in N.ew Zealand or elsewhere) for the sale of goods, any alteration takes place in Iho law relating to the liability of such goods to duty or in the rate or amount of such duty, then, in the absence of express written provision to tho contrary, the agreement shall be deemed to ho modified as follows:—(a) In the event of- the alteration being a new or increased duty, the seller, after payment thereof, may add to tho agreed price the difference caused by the alteration: (b) in the event of the alteration being tho reduction of duty, the purchaser may deduct from the agreed price the difference between the amount of duty which the seller would have paid had the alteration not been made and the amount of duty actually paid bv him; (e) in tho event of the alteration being the abolition of duty, the purchaser may deduct from tho agreed price the duty which the seller would have paid had the alteration not been made. “(2) When any such alteration of duties takes place, so as to operate retrospectively from anv date this section shall also apply retrospectively in like manner -ns from the same date.

"(3) Anv money paid bv a buyer to a seller in excess of the amount payable under this section may he recovered from the seller as money paid by mistake whether the error was one of fact or law.

"(4) All the provisions of this section with respect to an alteration of the law shall extend and apply to anv alteration of the tariff by authority of the Gover-nor-in-Council or by anv oilier lawful authority.