REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CUSTOMS' DUTIES.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 416, 28 July 1849, Page 4

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CUSTOMS' DUTIES.

Your Committee for reporting upon the system of levying Customs' Duties in New Zealand, in bringing up their Report, have to express their unanimous opinion that a system of fixed duties to as wide an extent as practicable will be found to be more productive to the revenue, more protective to the fair trader, and more beneficial to the public interest than the present system of ad valorem duties. Your Committee however believe that a very nice or elaborate system of levying fixed duties will, in the present stage of the colony, be found inconvenient and probably inexpedient ; and they have therefore confined their remarks to the most important and staple articles, together with such as appear most easily and simply available for the application of a fixed rate of duty, The annexed schedule enumerates such articles amongst the usual imports of this Province as under the above view present themselves to your Committee ; and they submit it in the hope that a proper application of the fixed duty principle will be found to be so generally advantageous as to render its extension from time to time desirable. Your Committee feel bound to make some remark upon the oppressive and vexatious duty of 30 per cent, ad valorem which, under the denomination of munitions of war, has been levied on manufactured lead and small axes ; and have to express thier hope that this may be amended. Your Committee would further recommend that the duties which have been his therto levied on whale and other fish oiland whalebone of foreign fishing be abolished, lstly. That the numerous whaling vessels fishing in these seas should be induced and encouraged to visit our port for supplies, to refit, and for the sale of their cargoes. 2ndly. That the duties hitherto derived from this source are small in amount and afford no adequate compensation for the loss to the trade of the colony occasioned by their restrictive influence. Your Committee therefore propose for the consideration of this Council the adoption of the following resolutions : — Ist. That it appears from all the information to be obtained on this subject, and from the experience of those most engaged in commerce in this colony, that a system of fixed duties will be most beneficial. 2nd. That this Council do submit to his Excellency the Lieutenant-Goyernor the necessity for some such alteration in the system of levying customs duties as is embodied in this report and do recommend that the same be forwarded to his Excellency the Governor-in-Chief for consideration by the General Assembly. Wm. Hickson, Chairman <.f the Committee. Council Chamber, Wellington, 28th June, 1849.