TARIFF BOARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1938, Page 7

TARIFF BOARD

PROPOSAL TO SET UP NEW BODY ADVISORY AND APPELLATE J FUNCTIONS. POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION. AUCKLAND, April 7. A. suggestion that a tariff board with advisory and appellate functions in tariff matters should be established in the Dominion was contained in a report submitted to the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce by a sub-committee of the executive. The report, which had been modified by the executive, was adopted, and it was decided to forward it to the Associated Chambers of Commerce. The suggested personnel is four members. The chairman, with a casting vote, would be appointed by the Government to represent consumers in New Zealand, and the three other members, it is suggested, will be appointed by the Government from panels of not less than three or more than five names submitted respectively by the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, the New, Zealand Importers’ Federation and the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation.

It was also suggested that several matters should be referred by the Minister of Customs to the proposed board. Among the suggestions were the definition and scope of preferential tariffs and-any alterations of tariff rates or reclassifications involving alterations of rates. This would not apply ,to routine interpretations, against which there would be a right of appeal. Other matters which it was suggested should be referred by the Minister of Customs to the board were measures contemplated to combat dumping and those contemplated to assist industries by the granting of bonuses.

Several suggestions were included which might be referred to the proposed board at the direction of the Minister. They were as follow: Determination of value of goods for duty, general effects and working of tariffs (Customs and excise), incidence of rates of duty on raw materials and on finished or partly finished products, effects of existing or contemplated Customs duties on industry and trade and the extent to which the consumer is protected from exploitation and any other matters which the Governor-General-in-Coun-cil sees fit to refer to the board for inquiry and report.

. “It is suggested the board should also act as a court of appeal against routine decisions of the Department and against decisions of the Minister where reports of matters referred to the board have not been adopted without variation by the Minister,” the report adds. The board could also act in that capacity where incidence of tariffs had proved of undue hardship on some parties.

Different opinions were expressed on one of the proposals, in which it was suggested that before coming to a decision it should be obligatory on the board to hear all interested parties on oath, that hearings should be taken in public and the board should ?n appropriate cases have power to order non-publication of evidence in official reports or in the Press. Mr J. Yock said he was afraid that the clause might lead to a lot of controversy. Instead of giving the tc-md power 'to order non-publication of some evidence, the board might, be given discretion to have evidence of a confidential nature heard in camera. Mr A. M. Seaman said that the point had been given a great deal of consideration by the executive, which felt that evidence should be heard in public.