Preferential and re- CIPROCAL TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 247, 17 November 1903, Page 3

Preferential and reCIPROCAL TRADE.

MR SEDDON'S BILL. The following message was received last night by telegraph from the Right Hon. the Premier : I forward herewith for pifblic information the Preferential and Reciprocal Trade Bill :

PREFERENTIAL AND RECIPROCAL TRADE.

A BILL INTITUILED. An Act to encourage trade with the British Empire by imposing extra duties on certain imports and to provide for reciprocal trade with foreign countries. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament Assembled and by the authority of the same as follows : 1. The short title of this Act is The Preferential and Reciprocal Trake Act, 1903," and it shall form form .pact of aiid be read together with " The Customs Laws Consolidation Act, 1882 " (herein afterwards referred to as the principal Act.) 2. From and after the passing of this Act there shall be leviable on the several articles mentioned in the first, second and third schedules hereto imported into New Zealand and not being the produce or manufacture of some part of the British Dominions in additions to the dutie* authorised under any tariff for the time being in force in New Zealand, the following duties : (a) On the articles specified in the first schedule hereto an amount equal to the amount payable under the said tariff ; (b) On the articles specified in the second schedule hereto an amount equaV to one half of the amount payable under the said tariff ; "(3) From and after the passing of this Act there shall be leviable on the several articles mentioned in the third schedule hereto imported into New Zealand, and not 'being the produce or manufacture oi some part of the British dominions duties of Customs equal t< twenty per centum of the value for duty as defined by the principal Act or by any Act amending the principal Act. 4. On the importation of any articles mentioned in any of the schedules hereto, the importer or his agent, in addition to the particulars - required by the principal Act to be given on " the entry of dutiable -goods, shall state to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, the country of which such goods are the produce or manufacture, and shall satisfy the collector, by declaration or otherwise, of the truth of such statement. 5. If a collector has reason to believe that any goods are not tht produce or manufacture of the country stated on such entry, he may -detain them for examination, and it after the inquiry he is satisfied that such statement was false, the goods shall be forfeited, and dealt with as directed by the principal Act in the case of forfeited goods. 6. With respect to all articles mentioned in the schedules hereto imported Into New Zealand after the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and four (•a) The full duty under this Act shall be payable unless there is produced to the collector an in voice, the goods being written o> printed thereon, a certificate signed by the sender or consignor ir such form as may be prescribed by the commissioner stating that the goods are bona fide the produce or manufacture of some part of the British dominions named in. the certificate. (b) No such invoice shall relate to any goods other than those to which the certificate refers. (c) Where such goods are Imported in packages, such packages shali not contain any goods other than those specified in the invoice, and if any other goods are found in any such package they shall be forfeited. (d) Every importer or agent of an importer who produces any invoict certificate under this section knowing the same to be false in any particular is liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, or at the option of the commissioner to treble the value of the goods specified in such invoice. 7. From and after the thirty-first day of March, one thousand nine hundred and four, no duty shall be leviable on tea grown in any part of the British dominions , the provisions of sections three to five hereof shall apply to every importation of tea after the date mentioned. 8. In any proceeding arising under this Act the onus of, proof that any goods are the produce or manufacture of any part of the British Dominions shall be on the importer. 9. The Governor may from time to time toy Order-in-Council gazetted make regulations for carrying this Act into effect, and may impose fines for the breach of such regulation not exceeding one hundred pounds. 10. Where any country not being part of the British Dominions reduces or abolishes or proposes to reduce or abolish the duty on any pro-i duct or manufacture of New Zealand, the Governor may enter into an agreement with that country to reduce or abolish the duty on any article or articles of produce oi manufacture of such country to an extent that the estimated revenue so remitted shall equal as nearly as possible the estimated revanu* remitted by that country, i>rovideo that no such agreement shall take effect until ratified by Parliament. FIRST SCHEDULE. Cement.

SECOND SCHEDULE. Basket and wicket-ware n.0.e., not being furniture ; bicycles, tricycles, and the like vehicles, also finished or partly finished or machined, parts of same n.0.e., including weldless steel tubing cut to short lengths ; boots shoes, ami slippers, n.0.e., goloshes! clogs, pattens, vamps, uppers, and laces ; candles, carriages, carts •drays, waggons, and perambulators, and wheels lor same, carriage shafts, spokus, and bellows, wnd bent carriage timber, n.o.e. ■ clocks, cordage, and rope, n.o.e. ■ cream of tartar, earthenware, stoneware, and brownware, fancy goods and toys, firearms ; all kinds fish potted and preserved;' furniture and cabinet ware, n.0.e., and other than iron; glass, crown, sheet, and common window) glassware, also plate glass and glass polished, coloured and other kinds, n.0.e., ; globes and chimneys for lamps ; hardware ironmongery, and hollow-ware, hoops iron nails, iron pipes, and fittings for same, including main cocks l«Jiips, lanterns, and lamp wick musical instruments, viz., pianos ; paperhangings, paper, wrapping, vi, blue candle-glazed cap, glassed casings, small hand, lumber ; hand and tissue paper, wrapping and other kinds, inclu-ding brown, cartridge and sugar papers ; piate and plated ware; pumps, and other apparatus lor raising water. THIRD SCHEDULE. Bicycles anrd ti icycies, linings for same, viz., rubber tyres, pneumatic P™' outside covers and inner tubes, rubber and cork handles, and pedal rubbers, also drop forgings and stamping ball bearings, weldless steel tube in full lengths, rims, forks, and spokes in the rough ; gas engines and hammers, and oil engines ; gum boots ; iron and steel cordage ; plain black, sheet, rod ; wort, bar, and plate iron ; wire (Sitting, printing paper, rails for railways and tramways, sail cloth, canras and unbleached double warped duck ; surgical and dental instruments and appliances. (Signed) R. J, SEDDOX,