BRITISH TARIFF

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1931, Page 5

BRITISH TARIFF

TO START AT ONCE.

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Nov. 18.

The second reading of the Abnormal Importation Customs Duties Bill was moved in the House of Commons.

The remaining : stages of the Bill in the House of Commons will be taken to-morrow. It is understood that the machinery for giving effect to the Bill (set up by the Board of Trade) is ready to be put into,’ operation at the shortest notice. ~la*oq Mr Hore Belisha, replied to the Opposition; , argument on constitutional grounds .against the emergency powers conferred by the measure. He said that it was not introduced for the purpose of taxation, but to keep goods out. Any taxes levied would be in the nature of fines or compensations exacted at ports. The Bill was intended to shelter those engaged in British industry from sporadic and irregular importations.

The duties to be charged under the Bill will be .charged in addition to any other duties chargeable on the article affected. No articles which are /Empire-produced are chargeable With ■the dumping duty.

The Bill does iiOt apply :to certain articles imp&rt§d for exportation after transit thfffligh the United States or by v way bf transhipment "nor does if 4 apply to imported agricultural Pfodwttf. A detailed review pf British overseas trade for October, published tonight. by the Board of Trade, has special interest, in view of the Government’s Anti-Dumping Bill. -The figures show that while the increase in the imports in October this year, rs compared with September, was 12.4 million) the average increase in October over September in the pre-four years was only 10.7 millidn. ‘ The newspaper s state. that there is a general belief that the Government will announce before the Christmas recess ,the ; adoption of4the quota system for home-grown wheat. . The comparative Parliamentary Agricultural Committee yesterday passed a resolution demanding, before the recess an outline of the full agricultural programme of the Government, 'regarding the quota and the guaranteed price for wheat, the position of malting barley, the future of the sugar beet industry, and-the policy generally regarding the abnormal importation of foreign agricultural’ and fishery produce, especially luxury imports.,

BILL PUT THROUGH ANOTHER STAGE.

,V' , LONDON, Nov. 18. '{' The Anti-Dumping Duties Bill was read the second time by- 376 votes to 47. In ttipvittg the acebnd reading, the President of the Boat! of Trade, 1 Mr Xtunlcmftn, said the Government were now; working on the agricultural problem. DUTCH PARLIAMENT RAISES ITS TARIFF. MEAT AFFECTED THE HAGUE, Nov. 18. The Lower House of the Dutch Parliament' has passed a Tariff Bill raising the duties from 8 to 10 per cent;, until, 193-5. The Hou?e adopted various meat taxes, • including one on horse flesh. It also imposed a tax for two years of twenty per cent, per hundred kilogrammes on fresh and chilled beef, -and one of 1\ per cent, on frozen beef.. . • - COPENHAGEN; Nov. 18.

The Danish) Riksdag has suspended the gold standard for a further three months. It has also passed an emergency measure empowering the stoppage of the outflow of Parish capital. The penaly is that of a fine, ranging to 280, or imprisonment.