Canny Scots beat Budget

Press, 9 August 1976, Page 2

Canny Scots beat Budget

Liquor and cigarette importers in Christchurch did not rush to clear stock from bond just before the Budget this year — unlike importers in Dunedin, where there were huge increases in the collection of Customs duty. There was only the normal pre-Budget clearance in Christchurch, according to the district collector of customs (Mr N. J. Taylor).

In the week prior to the Budget this year, $1.613M was collected in duty, compared with $1.150M in 1975.

This increase was modest compared with Dunedin, where SI.4M was collected in duty last month — an increase of 81 per

cent on the Budget month last year.

But when the “Otago Daily Times” approached several importers in Dunedin, they denied taking large stocks from bond. Of the companies questioned, all except one, which refused to comment, said that normal stocks had been cleared. As a result, liquor prices in the south have already been increased under Budget provisions, although some stocks at pre-Budget prices are still available. In Christchurch, the duty paid on cigarettes and tobacco increased from $413,000 for the week before the Budget in 1975 to $681,000 in 1976. Liquor importers paid $932,000 this year, compared with $738,000.