Import scheme exemptions

Press, 24 March 1977, Page 16

Import scheme exemptions

Sir, —Approximately 12 months ago New Zealand introduced an import deposit scheme to endeavour to decrease the volume of imports in certain non-desirable products. Amongst these were included typewriters, calculators, paper perforators, pencil sharpeners, marine outboard motors and spirituous liquors to name but a few. It is interesting to note that the majority of these items reflected once again on the commercial community. Yet one wonders why an exemption for marine outboard motors and spirituous liquors was recently granted. Perhaps the Minister of Cus-

toms would care to comment on these two necessities. — Yours, etc., DEREK BRANDT. March 9, 1977. [The Minister of Customs (Mr Wilkinson) replies: “The import deposit scheme, introduced on February 2, 1976, was devised as a temporary measure directed at reducing the level of our import payments wuth the minimum of disruption to the commercial community and consumer interests. The selection of items for inclusion was made on the basis of the need to take action in areas where there was evidence of a substantial increase in the value of imports. The “desirability” or otherwise of the goods concerned was not a factor which unduly influenced Government thinking. The 1976 Budget imposed increased import duties on spirits, and higher sales tax rates on marine outboard motors. These measures were imposed as an alternative to the import deposit requirements, and the goods were subsequently released from the scheme, as were lifting and excavating machinery.”]