Complaints Over Car Import Duty

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29827, 21 May 1962, Page 13

Complaints Over Car Import Duty

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 20. New Zealand public servants serving in Western Samoa claim they are being unjustly penalised by the amended Customs regulations governing car imports. They also claim that the Minister of Island Territories (Mr Gotz) misrepresented their views to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake).

The dissatisfaction arises from the Government’s decision late last yeah to impose duty on private cars brought back to New Zealand unless the owner had been five years out of New Zealand and had owned the car for one year The seconded officers in Western Samoa claim that soldiers in Malaya and tourists buy their cars free of duty, and the legislation will result in the owners paying duty at least once. However, in the case of officers serving in territories where duty is payable (the Cook Islands, Tonga, Western Samoa) the effect will be that they have to pay double duty Seventeen seconded officers in Western Samoa have decided to break their contracts in favour of getting their cars back to New Zealand by January 1, 1963. when the double duty will take effect. The Western Samoa Overseas Officers’ Association sought an interview with the Prime Minister during the independence week celebrations in January, but Mr Holyoake, because of his unexpected early departure for New Zealand, arranged for Mr Gotz to deputise They were only able to get in touch with Mr Gotz at the

independence ball where, they say, he spoke very shortly and left the impression that their car worries were of no great interest to him. A letter from Mr Holyoake after Mr Gotz’s return said: "Mr Gotz gives me to understand that your representatives are satisfied with the Government’s proposals to meet certain costs relating to the seconded officers in Western Samoa.” The association claims this was a gross misinterpretation and has prepared a letter to be sent to all New Zealand members of Parliament requesting support.