The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1921.

the customs tariff. Thu Prime Minister, who has taken charge of the Tariff Bill over the head of the Minister of Customs, appears to have been in a reasonable frame of mind in the House of Representatives Wednesday night, when a number

of aaicndiog resolutions beaming on the original tariil schedules wre under discussion. He cheerfully jettisoned (he kerosene duty in response, one mil) lairlv assume, to the strong represelitnt.iolls that have '"'en made to him by impoi lei - ami Users, and ' xpicsM d himself a< entirelv indifferent to tic fate of the petrol dtit\. This "as only a penny halfpenny a gallon hr pointed out. and was intend' d to he m« d in improving the roads of the Dominion lint if members chose to strike it out the Government would offer no objection. Mr T. Tv V. Seddon. earlier in the day, had called the attention of {.lie Minister to tile injustice suffered by some southern importers who had been compelled to pay duty on goods landed from a vessel which had discharged similar goods at Auckland ' before the hcw tariff came into force frc,. of duty. This matter "'as left with 111,. Minister of Customs to deal with and in- replied that there was provision in the Customs Act for giving an importer the option of paying duty cither at the rate that was in operation at the time of tho importation or at 'the new rate. Hut the provision opera, tel at Hie discretion of the Minister and it was not. applied "hen the loss to the Department would he substantial ( as it would he in the present ease. | Ample notice had been given of tile, coming of the new tariff, and the southern importers could have cleared their .roods as soon as tli,. ship reached Auckland. Some Christchurch and West Coast firms had done this and had , obtained an advantage over those that j had not. Having offered this ,-old comfort to importers, who had not gambled on the provisions of the new tariff, the Minister promised to look into the representations made lily Mr Seddon and see if anything could be done. It had to he-remembered, however, that a readjustment of the matter on the lines suggested by the Member for Westland would involve a serious loss of revenue. We must confess at being a little astonished by the view of the position taken |,v tli,, Minister. Surely it is not in the interests of the public to encourage speculation among importers at such a time as this, as to whether any particular duty is going up or coming down. The profit of the , successful gambler, certainly "ill find its way into bis own pocket and the loss of the unsuccessful one as certainly will j he passed on to his customers. Me • hope the consideration Mr Downie Stewart has promised to give to Mr Seddon's representation will lead to the importers in this instance being placed on an equal footing. I