HEAVY STOCKS HELD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26617, 13 November 1947, Page 8

HEAVY STOCKS HELD

TRADERS UNFORTUNATE SALES TAX REMOVAL Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. The plight of many traders who were caught with substantial stocks of the goods concerned when the sales tax was removed recently from the remaining items of foodstuffs was pointed out by Mr J. T. Watts (Oppn, St. Albans) and several Other Opposition speakers during the debate on the Supplementary Estimates in the House of Representatives to-night. It was pointed out that these people were in an unfortunately'position as compared with that of traders whose supplies happened to be low when the tax was removed. They would be obliged to charge higher prices than their competitors in the same class of business. Mr Watts asked whether arrangements could be made for a refund of sales tax in these cases so that all could compete on equal terms. The Minister of Customs, Mr Nash, said the point was one that was raised every time there was an alteration in the sales tax. A person holding goods on which sales tax had been paid could continue to charge sales tax for the goods on which it was paid. Mr W. H. Gillespie (Oppn., Hurunui) said that traders had waited until the Minister introduced his Budget and as there was no reference in it to adjustments in the sales tax they thought they were in for a settled period of trade.