COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19971, 4 July 1930, Page 18

COMMERCIAL.

(CONTINUED.) IMPORT ENTRIES. GOVERNMENTS ACTION. HARDSHIP TO MERCHANTS. "The attention of the committee lug been drawn to the adoption by the Customs Department of an unprecedented course of action in connexion with thq acceptance of import entries; and in view of the urgency of the matter in the light of possible Customs duty alterations the matter was taken up by the committee with the Minister for Customs," stated the report of the Importers' Committee to the Council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last evening. "It has been the practice in the past for the Department to accept under tho discretionary powers of Section 51 of the Customs Act, 1913, entries for goods at any time after tho importing vessel roaches the first port of discharge in Now Zealand. The Department's practice now, however, is to refuse entoma until the goods reach their actual port of discharge.

"It is evident as a result of thiß change of policy that in the event of Customs duty alterations coming into operation during the interval between the arrival of a vessel at its earlier ports of discharge in New Zealand and its arrival in subsequent port merchants at these subsequent porta will be called upon to pay a higher rate of duty on the same class of goods out of tho same vessel than merchants at tho earlier ports of call. "This is likely to cause considerable hardship to South Island morchants because of the preponderance of the nuro» ber of vessels which make their first calls at North Island ports. "The committee recommends this Chamber to urge that the Department maintain the practice subsisting heretofore, which was satisfactory both to tho commercial community and to Parliament, and suggests that Canterbury members of Parliament be informed of the position." Mr W. Bottrell. in moving the adoption of the report, explained at some length the effect of tho Government's action. Mr P. Davidson seconded the motion, which was carried.

REASONS FOR CHANGE. MINISTER'S EXPLANATION. (PBKSS ASSOCUTXOM TSLZOMU.) WELLINGTON, July 3. Replying in the House of Representatives to-<lay to the Hon. W. Downie Stewart (R., Dunedin West), who, in conjunction with Mr A. E. Ansell (R.» Chalmers) and Mr J. W. Munro (Lab.. Dunedin North), raißed the question of accepting payment of duty on goods for Dunedin which arrived at Auckland, the Prime Minister replied that there were two questions involved, vin.: (1) As to the time at which goods could be cleared in anticipation of alterations in the tariff; (2) as to the incidence of any new duties which might bo imposed. In the first place ail that had been done so far was to exeroise the discretion granted by Parliament under the Customs Act, 1913, by refusing to accept entries until the goods had arrived at their port of discharge. As to the other point ne said discretion was preserved in the Act of Parliament to deal with the matter of altered duties. In his opinion it was the duty of the Customs Department so to exeroise the discretion granted to it by law that Parliament wa6 not prejudiced in dealing with the matter. So far as he was aware no scheme had yet been devised which would satisfactorily meet all the complicated situations that might arise at the time of the change of tariff. Tito decision which had been arrived at with regard to the clearance of goods had the great advantage that it placed, so far as possible, all importers at the same centre on a similar footing. In the circumstances he regretted he could not see his way to accede to the request of the Otago Importers' and Shippers' Association that the goods should be allowed to be cleared at the Customs at any port in New Zealand as soon as the importing ship arrived at her first port or coll in the Dominion.

HENRY JONES CO-OPERATIVE, LIMITED. Hr A. W. Palfreyman, chairman, Henry Jones Co-operative, btd., preservers and canners of fruits (Sydney), assured share holders that the company's buslnsss outside Australia had beau very satisfactory, especially in New Zealand and South Africa. Balds in Australia had shown a decrease in the past six month*. This might have bean camwd by storekeepers carrying smaller stocks. The manufacture of American products In Australia, Mr Palfreymaa stated, would have little or no effect on the company's business. Directors preferred this course to the Importation of the products. Referring to the Government's decision to J>ay a bounty of up to £4OOO for export of canned fruits, Mr Palfreymaa stated that he did sot see why apricots should be singled out. The bonus would not be of the slightest assistance to growers. The canned fruits industry faced disabilities, but these would not be remedied by the small bounty of £4OOO. The Industry would progress better without Government assistance. Mr Palfreyman explained that the canned fruit section formed only a small part of the company's trade. In some factories the output was only 10 per cent., although in others it averaged up to 60 per oent. Henry Jones Co-operative is largely Interested in canning peach orchards in Kelson.

RUBBER RESTRICTION 512 COMPANIES TO TAKE PART. The Association of Dutch Rubber Growers reports th»t 111 Dutoh, 813 British, 80 Continental, and 58 Dutch Bast Indian rubber oompanies will participate in the rubber restriction scheme in the Dutch East Indies and elsewhere, whioh commenced last month. For scientific purposes the continuation of tapping will be allowed over an area of about 720 acres, including the east coast of Sumatra.

RUGBY LEAGUE.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM FOR SATURDAY. (UKITED rSSSS HSOCIATIOK—BT SLTOT&IQ telbgbaph—copxmonr.) (Received July 3rd, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 8, Ttje New Zealand League team to play New South Wales at Sydney on Saturday will be as under:— Full-back: C. Dufty, Three-quarters; G. Tittleton, 11. Wetherill, 8. Watene, R. Brisbane. Five-eighth: C. Gregory. Half-back: E. Abbott. Forwards: K, Trautvetter, B. Stephenson, T. Timmi, S. Clark, A. Eckhpff, J. Caldea,