DUTIES ON FLOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 29, 4 February 1891, Page 2

DUTIES ON FLOUR.

OBJECTIONS OF IMPORTERS

DEPUTATION TO HARBOUR BOARD.

Yesterday afternoon a deputation of local importers of Southern flour and grain waited upon the Auckland Harbour Board, in order to raise a protest againsb the re-cently-imposed special harbour duties on Southern flour imported into the port ot Auckland. The deputation of objectors consisted of Messrs G. W. Owen, R. O. Young, T. H. Hall, Jowitt and Gunson. Mr McCorquodale, manager of the Northern Roller Mills, also accompanied the deputation. ~ Mr Niccol, Chairman of the Board, said that the members of the deputation were there in reeponee to an invitation from the Board in order to give expression to their views regarding the new wharfage dues on flour brought in from the South, on which the Board had fully decided lately. He asked them whether they did nob consider it best to defer addressing the Board on the subject until a future meeting The present occasion was the last meeting of the old Board, and he asked them whether they did not consider it advisable to wait until the new Board were constituted and then bring up the question at the next meeting. Mr Owen thought that as they were met there it was as well to state their case and let the Board see how they felt in the matter. The idea of the importers was this, that the imposition of an extra duty on flour was done avowedly with the object of helping one local milling establishment ab the expense of the other importers. They felt thab this tax fell on them individually, and caused undue hardship. They thought that flour imported should be placed in the same category as ordinary Southern produce, such as potatoes, wheat, oats, etc., brought in from the South, and taxed accordingly. He quoted figures to show that the imports of flour greatly exceeded the exports from the port of Auckland, and maintained that the Board should tax imported produce uniformly. An increase of 3d per ton on all produce would, he thought, suffice if it were for the purposes of revenue that the Board needed it, but it was evident to the importers that the Board levied the extra dues simply for the purpose of assisting one local institution.

The Chairman : " That is an erroneous idea you had botterdivesb yourmindsof. It was levied solely for the purposes of Board revenue." Mr Jowitb thought that the impoeition of these dues was a distinct blow dealt by the Harbour Board to a small body of importers, and he aeked them to deal with the matter fully at that meeting. He asked them respectfully to consider whether it was a righb or fair thing to put such a tax as this upon them. The importers felb that they were being very hardly dealt with.

.Mr McCorquodale explained that he was not there to object to the imposition of an inwards wharfage on flour, of which he entirely approved, bub to raise objections to that portion of the Board's wharfage clause levying extra rates on flour exported from Auckland, in his capacity as manager of the Northern Roller Mills. He was convinced himself that the question was simply one of revenue, and no miller in Auckland was consulted in the ?matter. Tho millers were, in fact, as , ''■ much astonished, as the importers at the imposition of the new wharfage dues on flour. He thought the Board was only following the example of every other Board in the colony, in taxing the manufactured article imported instead of the raw material, and he though.t, they were quite right Jn doing.so. Hβ wtfs cure he wan within the mark in stating that for the last six monthe the Northern .Roller Mills had contributed more to the revenue of the Board in the way of dues on grain-laden vessels coming into port than was paid by all the flour importers in Auckland put together. In addition to supporting a local industry, the Company which he had the honour to serve had done so without increasing the price to the public. The Company were not millers byHbbpice, but by compulsion, and the public bad, in fact, been the gainers by their enterprise. He went so far with his friends as to object to the charge of 6d per ton on flour exported, which he considered an unf air charge, and one which tended to strangle local industry. Hβ hoped the Board would re-consider their decision in this respect. The Chairman said he was very glad that Mr McCorquodale had cleared up one point, namely, that they had consulted no interest outside the Board in regard to thig charge. Had they not required the revenue, there would have been no change in the tariff.

Several other members of the deputation spoke, and then they retired. Mr McMillan deprecated the raising of the question of free-trade versus protection, and rendering the North and South antagonistic. Mr Stone said he had always been in favour of free trade. He considered that they should nob legislate for individuals. Mr Button was in favour of going back to the old system and striking out the export tariff. Eventually, on the motion of the Chairman, it was resolved, " That the consideration of this matter be deferred till next meeting."