IMPORTS FROM AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28239, 29 March 1957, Page 3

IMPORTS FROM AUSTRALIA

Representations On Duties

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 27.

The Australian Government is believed to have made representations to the New Zealand Government about New Zealand’s system of imposing import duties on Australian goods. Under this system importers pay duty—ranging up to 40 per cent. —on Australian goods at their doipestic price, though this is-. .25 per cent, higher than the price in New. Zealand, because of the different currency values.

A Wellington importer, Mr A. S. Goldsmith, recently complained of the system as placing an unfair restriction on Australian goods and as being contrary to procedure used by other countries. An instance given was that an importer buying £lOO worth of Australian goods paid duty on £lOO, whereas the cost to him was £75 in New Zealand money.

Customs officers explained today that the procedure . for valuing goods for import duty was longstanding and had remained unaltered throughout all the changes in the relation of currencies. -5

In addition to the representations believed to have been made by the Australian Government interested parties have made submissions to the Board of Trade in New Zealand. The board will almost certainly deal with the subject in the comprehensive review of the customs tariff that it is now preparing.