IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27472, 5 October 1954, Page 14

IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG

NEW CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN REQUIRED GOVERNMENT FORM “NOT ACCEPTABLE” A certificate issued by the Hong Kong Department of Commerce and Industry to exporters of goods from the colony that the goods have been made in Hong Kong M is w no z acceptable to the New Zealand Customs Department. Joods accompanied by the certificate are now required to pay duty assesse under tte general tariff, instead of the lower British preferential tariff. A memorandum from the head offi of the Customs Department, an e* tract from which has keen circulated in Christchurch, says the Hong Kong Department of Commerce and in dustry form 16, sometimes submitted by importers is “not acceptable. The only certificate which will entitle the New Zealand importer of goods from Hong Kojig to. assessment under the Imperial traiff is one pre pared by one of the firms of accountants in Hong Kong, approved by Her Majesty’s. Commissioners for Customs and Excise. » often pays the importer to pay the higher tariff rather than pay for one of these cer tificates,” said a Christchurch customs agent yesterday. “A client of mine had to pay £l5 recently for an Imperial preference certificate made out by one of these firms? The Hong Kong Department of Commerce and Industry’s certificate form 16 as it is known to is issued under the letterhead Government of Hong Kong, ’ with the colony’s coat of arms at the top oi tne paper, and is entitled “certificate oi origin.” “I hereby certify that evidence has been produced to satisfy me that the goods specified hereunder have been manufactured, processed or produced in Hong Kong by . . • the certificate reads. t A certificate shown to a reporter yesterday was filled in with details of the manufacturing firm and the goods to which the certificate applied. The officer who signed the forin for tne Director, Department of Commerce and Industry,” bore a European name. On the reverse of the form particulars of the conditions of issue of a certificate were given. Among them was the payment of a fee or 5 dollars (about 6s 6d in New Zealand currency). Official Comment A Wellington Customs Department spokesman, commenting on this report, said New Zealand never had accepted Hong Kong Department of Commerce and Industry certificates. In doing that it was following United Kingdom practice. . , Under the Imperial preference tariff, a certificate was required to certify that 50 per cent, or more of the contents of the articles concerned orginated in Hong Kong. As the Hong Kong certificate did not require that but simply certified that the goods were manufactured, processed, or produced in the colony, the New Zealand Customs Department had to have additional proof, the spokesman said. It therefore made use of the firms of chartered accountants in Hong Kong which had been approved by- the Commissioners of Customs ana Excises in England. Those firms issued Imperial preferential tariff certificates which certified that 50 per cent, or more of the contents of goods were of Hong Kong origin. In that way, goods made of predominantly foreign materials did not gain the advantage of the lower Imperial preference tariff rate. The customs official said he could not understand how an importer had to pay £l5 for an imperial preference certificate as the normal fee was five dollars. At the present rate of exchange of Is 3d to the dollar, i that amounted to 6s 3d. Importers i were also required, under New Zealand regulations, to obtain a New Zealand certificate at a cost of another five dollars.