NEW CUSTOMS DUTIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2552, 28 August 1915, Page 7

NEW CUSTOMS DUTIES

— . ALLEGED EXPLOITATION i, • . 1 GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE • ' ACTION i 'A complaint against any possible exs ploitatiou of the public by holders of . stocks of petrol and kerosene because of, the imposition of now duties was 1 raised in the House of Representatives - yesterday. Another question related to : the date of coming into 'operation of' certain other taxes. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson asked tho Minister of Customs whether ho would cause immediate stops to he taken to , have an inventory taken of all stocks of benzine, motor spirit, and kerosene at present in merchants' stores on which no duty has been paid, and also.,to see 5 that no'increase of prices takes place i until present stocks, were sold, ot-her- > wise the public would, ho feared, be l. unduly exploited. . ) The Hon. A. M. Myers said that, the ■ matter was a difficult one, but he would ' be very glad to give it consideration- ; .Mr.' W. Nosworthy (Ashburton) said ) that he had received a telegram : to tho ) effect that merchants had increased the price of 'kerosene by-2s. 9d., a case, and ■' be asked the Minister of Financo whe- • ther he would take action to prevent • exploitation. : Sir Joseph Ward:. If-that has been i done, then I want to say that tho ; House will be asked to take steps neces- ■ sary to protect.the people from, being l exploited. It is quite'right, no doirbt, > that' when a duty is imposed on a comt modity the price of that commodity [ should be raised, but if holders of I stocks of petrol and benzine think that kwe are going to stand by and allow [ them to make a huge profit out of the . people, of this country because of the : necessity on account' of the war of in- [ creasing taxation, they will find' that [ they aro mistaken. He added that he • would bo very pleased to ask the House j to givo .the Government authority to. ; deal with the matter effectively. i Mr. J.- Payne said that ho was given' to understand that all the stores in Wellington ..were full of benzine and , petrol. One company, he .believed, ■ . had' 50,000 cases in storo, which would . represent a : profit of £7000. He suggested that the Minister should declare these stores- to' be bond. i Sir Joseph Ward said he would consider whether/lie should ask tho House . to give authority to the Government to J have an inventory of'stocks made, and to take such other i steps as might bet": necessary to regulate things fairly. ' Mr. Fletcher: You ought to do it at once. !; _ Dr. Newman suggested to the Finance j Minister that he should make a state- , ment regarding the coming into opera; tion of the now duties. At present there ■ was general uncertainty as to whether . the extra stamp duty should be paid at t once on cheques and'receipts'. ' ; ' ( ' Sir Joseph Ward stated that no extra, charges were yet in'force with the' ... .exception' of the new Customs the formal resolutions respecting which, were, agreed to by the House on tho . previous evening. In the matter of the other extra charges, including-Post and | Telegraph, and stamp increases, l and ex- ( tra taxation,;legislation would have to , be passed by _ Parliament, before they ' would come into operation. In'the i. meantime the present, charges would re- ; ; He would intimate publicly when ; tho neiv charges camo into operation so that no-one would be misled. ' A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. In reply to a question by a Dominion representative last evening, the Minister: for Finance stated that 'he was not yet able to say how many Bills would be placed) before Parliament in order to give effect to the hew proposals. It was possible, he 6aid, 'that .more than ono of the proposals might be combined in one Bill.. The new railway'charges, he added, would not require legislation, as there , was existing power under' the Railways Act to bring th 9 alterations into operation by Gazette notice, Which would appear in due course. A Customs Bill would also b9 introduced to give the necessary full effect, to the resolutions already , agreed to. The increased Customs duties, of course, had come ■ into force that day, but if apy amendments were made by Parliament in the proposals in this respect it would ibe a -matter.for adjustment. In'regard to the .increased postal, chfirges, it is intended to issue a special war tax halfpenny stamp, and thus to keep it dislitictr from the ordinary penny , postage, the principle of which .will not be in any way disturbed. 'When the occasion for the'extra postage "lias, passed, the use of the special war stanip can be discontinued. Sir Joseph Ward stated that lie is not yet able-to say whether tho extra postal charge will bo fully adaptable 1 to the ■use of the stamp-vending machinos now in operation. Ine franking machines in- offices will probably continue to be. available for nse under the new system. These, 1 however, aro matters of detail which have not yet been settled by the, Postal Department.