REPORT

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 404, 17 September 1856, Page 7

REPORT

Of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on the Avorking of the NeAv Tariff. The humble memorial of James Kelham, and Jonas Woodward, Chairman and Secretary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Humbly Sheaveth— That your memorialists acting for and in the name of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, feel it incumbent on them most respectfully to lay before your Excellency several objections which they consider may very properly be urged against the " Customs Duties Act, 1556." Your memorialists had long felt the inconvenience of the former Tariff, and iv conformity with suggestions emanating from your Excellency, had ventured after mature consideration to make a report on the subject, which they did themselves the honor to forward to your Excellenc}' in February last; but while they thankfully note the abolition of ad valorem duties by the late Act, they find that a Tariff fully as cumbrous as the former is enacted, though, unlike the former, it has not-the merit of being'specific in its provisions. Tour memorialist's beg leave to point out to your Excellency that while by the 12th Section of clause 2, a distinct rate of duty is- chargeable upon sixteen articles, the operation of the option given to the Collectors of Customs under Section 13 nill cause no less than one hundred aud twenty-four.classes of articles (enumerated in the former Tariff,) to be specified, in order to determine whether duty shall be paid on them at the rate of One shilling per cubic foot, or Two shillings per hundred-weight. Among the difficulties in the way of working this Tariff, your memorialists respectfully representfirstly, that the different rates mentioned above mayinvolve all tlie trouble and annoyance which is inevitably caused by the necessity for searching of packages, and secondly— that as the measurement is by the cubic foot and not as usually taken for freight, the most difficult questions will epnmmaUy arise between til.'officers of Customs and the met.

chauts, as to the measurement of casks or of irregUr larly shaped packages. Your memorialists also pray your Excellency to observe that.in almost e^-tfty instance loav-priced articles are subjected to an enormous duty, while costly articles are comparatively free; thus, common Earthenware will have to pay from fifty to one hundred per cent, upon its cost, while China will scarcely pay five per cent., and prints and calicoes will be taxed from five to fifteeu per cent., while silks and jewellery will be required to pay one per cent., Again, coarse salt, an article absolutely essential, is taxed about one hundred and thirty per cent, upon its original cost, and beer about thirtyfive per cent., a rate that in the latter article will be almost prohibitory, and seams to your memorialists to be a retrogression towards the exploded system of " protective " duties. From these and similar considerations your memorialists earnestly pray that your Excellency's "Government will take the whole matter into'their consideration, so as to be prepared Avith a well digested measure on this important subject, to submit to'the General Assembly in its next session ; and pending this, your memorialists further pray that your Excellency in Council will be pleased to issue instructions to the various Collectors of Customs, specifying the articles on which duty shall be charged by weight, so as to produce uniformity of action in the different ports ; in reference to Avhich, your memorialists take the liberty to append a list of articles, upon which the Collector of Customs at this port, after careful consideration and conference with your memorialists, has decided shall be so charged, and which decision your memorialists regard as satisfactory, as without some such arrangements the business of the port could scarcely be carried on. Your memorialists also pray that such instructions may include directions to the Collectors as to the mode of charging duty upon packages containing various classes of goods, liable to different rates of duty, or containing goods chargeable with ducy and other goods which are enumerated in clause 1 as free of duty; so that the public may know whether, because a package contains goods chargeable with duty at the rate of three shillings per cubic foot, ihe duty is to be charged as though all tlie contents of the said package were liable to that rate, although it _ may contain Passenger's personal baggage, printed books, specimens illustrative of natural history, or goods chargeable with duty at the rate of one shilling per cubic foot, the Collector here having decided that in every instance the higher rate of duty must be paid, however small the proportion of goods liable to that may be. Jas. Kelham, Chairman, J. Woodward, Secretary. Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, Sept 1, ISSB. LIST OF ARTICLES To be charged with duty at the rate of two shillings per cwt, under Section XIII. clause; 2, of the " Customs-Duties Act, 1856." Alkali, Pot, and Pear; Iron Nails Ash, Soda Iron—Anchors and Chain Alum Cables Arsenic Junk Bacon and Hams Lard Bark Lead, manufactured Beef, salted black, red, and white Books, Account Books Leather, all sorts Brass Manufactures Litharge of Lead Butter Oakum Cables Paints Coker Nuts {sis in orig.) Paper Cheese Pork, salted Copper, and Coropositior Sago Sheathing Saltpetre Nails and bolts Soao Wrought, of Spices, ail sort-; other sons Staich Cordage and Cables Sied Corks, for boitling Tin, in plates Hay block Hollow-ware (loose) /. c Zinc Camp Ovens aru Gunpow-1 Subject toGoIron Pots der ver n m c nt HoPs Shot J License