SOCKS FROM SPAIN

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26729, 13 May 1952, Page 6

SOCKS FROM SPAIN

N.Z. IMPORTS AT LOW PRICES QUESTION OF DUMPING RAISED As a result of representations by the Nfew Zealand Knitting Industries Federation that the importation of rayon and cotton socks from Spain at abnormally low prices might coni stltute dumping, the Customs Department is taking administrative action to ensure that similar goods are not imported in future under import licences for socks of silk, artificial silk or nylon. In a letter to the Knitting Industries Federation the Comptroller of Customs says no evidence has been found that this particular line of socks was dumped within the meaning of the Customs Act. "In view of the multiple exchange rate procedures adopted by Spain the establishment of a dutiable value is not always easy,” says the Comptroller of Customs. "However, this was a small and isolated shipment, and in View Of this, and of the nature of the goods I think you Will agree that it is unlikely to have had any adverse effect on our domestic industry.” Recently the Knitting Industries Federation has made representations, based mainly on evidence from members in the- Auckland area, to the Board of Trade and the Comptroller of Customs about the apparent unauthorised importation of certain types of men’s half hose, including men’s fancy socks of mixtures of cotton with rayon or nyloh from both the United Kingdom and Spain, men’s nylon and wool mixture socks and men’s light plaltf* and fancy half hose of wool.

In its reply the Board of Trade States that its investigations'into the importation of men’s socks under tariff item 136/7 show that the types referred to bv the Knitting Industries Federation should not have been permitted entry and that the consignments were released in error. In one case a licence for men's working socks was accepted for goods that did not fall within that category, and in the other two Cases the socks were admitted without licence as men's socks of silk, artificial silk or nylon. The Board of Trade considers there is no need to alter the existing exemption relating to men’s socks of silk, artificial silk or hylon as the Comptroller of Customs says that to qualify for admission within the exemption such socks Would have to be composed entirely of the materials specified or combinations of them. The attention of importers and officers of the Customs Department will be drawn to the fact that only socks of the classes mentioned are covered by the exemption. Steps will be taken to ensure that future imports of goods of this nature comply fully with requirements.