CUSTOMS AMENDMENT BILL

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21256, 30 August 1934, Page 10

CUSTOMS AMENDMENT BILL

+ SECOND READING PASSED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.J WELLINGTON, August 29. The Customs Acts Amendment Bill was read a second time in the House of Representatives this afternoon, after a debate of four days. The Minister for Customs (th 6 Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), replying to the debate, paid more attention to generalities than to details; but he referred to some of the points raised by members. Mr Coates indicated that when the bilJ reached the committee stage, the House would be able to "take the roof off" and discuss freely each point in the bill and in the tariff amendments. Mr H. Atmore (Ind„ Nelson) spoke of Japanese competition, and said British chinaware should be allowed to enter New Zealand free. He said a heavier duty should be placed on Australian canned fruit. That industry in Australia was being subsidised. He urged the raising of the auty on unmanufactured tobacco leaf. Mr A. E. Ansell (C., Chalmers) said Britain was definitely going to encourage her own agriculturists, nnd for that reason lwd undertaken to carry out the Ottawa agreement. He complimented Mr J. Connolly (Ind. C., Mid-Canterbury) for his defence of the sliding scale of wheat and flour duties. He contended that more should be dorie to divert New Zealand trade to Britain. He fcriticised the increase in the duty on spare parts of motorcars. Mr W. A. Veitch find., Wanganui) said the new tariff should be withheld until New Zealand knew where Britain stood in the matter of quotas and deflation of currency.