THE NEW CUSTOMS TARIFF.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 199, 22 August 1900, Page 2

THE NEW CUSTOMS TARIFF.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—ln your interview with. Mr Geddes there is a small matter that requires explaining. Mr Geudes states that his firm,holding large stocks of goods, on which they have paid the old rate of duty-such duty being now very much reduced or abolished—intend to recoup themselves by exporting and then re-importing the same goods, so as to secure the drawback. But will tne Customs allow a greater drawback than the present rate of duty? If so, the shipping companies will be reaping a most unusual St-^^ EI) ,

[Merchants who contemplate such shipments and re-iniportatlons will have to satisfy the Collector of Customs that the' exportations are genuine ones, for the purpose of sale, before the drawbacks can be obtained. The shipments must be bona flde ones for the purposes of trade in the ordinary acceptation oi the term. It will be apparent, therefore that importers who desire to export their goods again and then reimport them in order to obviate financial loss, will have to prove to the satistac?tion of the Customs authorities that the.v are not doing so simply to evade the consequences "of the sudden change in the tariff. We understand, however, that the Collector of Customs preferring the point to head-quarters at Wellington.for consideration.—Ed. E.S.]