The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 404, 17 September 1856, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, September 17. " Ad Valorem duties are very objectionable. It is a faulty principle," says the AttorneyGeneral of New Zealand, in moving the second reading of the New Customs Duties Act. We deny the assertion. The only equitable ' principle' upon which any import duties can hi levied is the charging a percentage upon the value of goods. To apply thispi incip'e to every description of imports lias proved inconvenient, causing uncertainty and delay to the importer, and disputes between him and the Customs officer. Therefore expediency has devised the practice of putting fixed duties on all goods which differ slightly in value, and tbus, without any great unfairness, such a tix may be levied. If Ad Valorem duties are ' faulty in principle/ what can be said of a fixed charge whicli operates with snch manifest injustice, sis. the ' Wellington Independent' points out in an article which we republish to-day, concurring in the greater part of it. The new Tariff will seriously affect the farmers of this province, by the enormous charges it imposes on many agricultural implements which are nearly always exceedingly bulky, although often but of little value in comparison with their bulk. Drays, for, instance,'which .we largely require, will now pay, instead often, twenty, five to thirty per cent on their' value. It would be im-

possible to point out all the inequalities of the new measurement system, so numerous are they. We protest, on the part of this province, against ill considered and unjust Acts, such as the Customs Duties Act, being again brought forward without, at least, an opportunity being offeied to our merchants and settlers of expressing their opinions, and if need be, of petitioning against proposed alterations.