DUES NOT PAID.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 11

DUES NOT PAID.

ISLAND ORANGES.

"GOVERNMENT GOODS."

PRINCIPLE INVOLVED. (By Tolegrnph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. Said to involve a. principle of importriiHT to all harbour boards, the landing of :i7f>o cases of Cook Island oranges at Lyttt'lton without payment of wharfage dues was brought before , the notice of l the Lyttelton Harbour Board at its meeting to-day. I lie secretary, Mr. C. H. Clibborn, said I hill dues were not paid, presumably on i lie ground that the fruit was "Government, goods" and therefore free of rhargc'. The goods were unloaded from the r-team*hip Wainui on May 10 and i-uiir.igiied tu the Internal Marketing Uniinl. e Mr. Clibborn quoted from the Harbours Art. in which provision is made ll.«t no dues shall be payable on "any poods of or for the service of His Majesty in Xew Zealand, including goods ronxipned to and the property of the Government of Xew Zealand, but not including goods supplied by the Government to any person for commercial purposes." When the present Government instituted the guaranteed price marketing arrangements for export dairy produce, the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Xash, told harbour boards that it was not intended that they should lose wharfage revenue thereby. Wharfage had hern paid up to the "present on the basis that the Government claimed no title in the goods until they were f.o.b. It was agreed that the chairman, Mr. R. T. McMillan, and the secretary should see the Minister, and it was decided also to refer the matter to the Harbour Boards' Association.