WAS IT ILLEGAL?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 247, 9 January 1928, Page 1

WAS IT ILLEGAL?

DUMPING DUTY ON BUTTER FROM AUSTRALIA AGREEMENT WITH CANADA By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright OTTAWA, Saturday. It is learned on good authority that the situation resulting from the repeated protests of the Canadian dairying interests against the importations of Australian butter will shortly come to a head. The Australian tariff experts have come to the conclusion that the collection of many thousands of pounds on Australian butter shipments, for some time past by reason of the imposition of the dumping duty, was distinctly contrary to the AustralianCanadian trade agreement. It is understood that the Toronto Board of Trade will shortly make an appeal to the Canadian Government for a refund of the previous dumping duty payments. It is understood the Canadian Government officials had been wholly reluctant to impose the dumping duty on Australian butter, and have frankly Intimated that if the Australian experts can point a way out of the difficulty they would gladly take it. The preliminary suggestion has been made that although the general Customs regulations provide for the imposition of a dumping duty on' a commodity sold below the domestic price ruling in the country of manufacture they do not affect these products if sent on consignment. EXEMPTING PROVISIONS Recent arrivals of 47,0001 b of Australian butter would therefore escape the dumping provision, but it is said that the arrangement regarding consignments works a hardship on the free movement of trade, since it prohibits regular shipments of the product, which aim at securing a day-by-day market. The Australian experts, after examining the Australian-Canadian agreement, discovered a provision which unequivocally exempts all the commodities mentioned there as coming under the reciprocal arrangements from such imposition of the dumping duty as is provided in the Canadian Customs regulation. The Canadian importers have been advised of this, and it is expected they will make every effort to secure action under the exempting provisions.—A. and N.Z.