AD VALOREM DUTIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 36, 6 November 1917, Page 7

AD VALOREM DUTIES

AND HAHBOUB BOARD DUES.

' Tho Council of tho Wellington Chamber oT Commerce met yesterday, Mr. F. W. Manton presid--7«». "Tho council considered a. report of a. sub-commilteo on a letter from tho British Agents' _ Association concerning ad valorem duties. It appears that under section 1M of the Customs Act duly is payable, not on invoice values, but on the. vahio when sold for liomo consumption, in the ordinary co'jrfo of business, in tho country from which tho goods ore exported. Some difficulty has recently arisen in ascertaining tho duties due, by reason of the enhancement of price between the lime tho goods were, sent out of tho factory or warehouse and their loading into tho stenmrr for export. The matter was left to bo further dealt with by a sub-commit-tee. Tho question of the checking of "home-consumption values" was raised. This is dono by a' Now Zealand Government expert in Iho United Kingdom, but no similar supervision or check is exercised in the case of exports from Japan and the Unitod Slates lo Now 'Zealand. This matter was also left to be reported on by a sub-committee. • Auckland Harbour Board is now levying a toll of 6(1. per ton. on goods inward and outward, for the purposes of harbour improvement. This is rnado payable by tho ships, which puss it on' to tho shipper. Tho council decided that tho Wellington Chamber could take no action, beyond suggesting that Wellington merchants selling c.i.f., Auckland, should debit tho purchaser with tho 6d. per ton' ralo referred to.'

With respect to stamping letters of indemnity, Iho Overseas Shipowners' Com-, mittee wrote, suggesting that the chamber draft a form of indemnity which would obviate payment of double stamp duty., It was reported that such ii letter dad been drafted to overcome tho difficulty, and it would bo submitted to iho Oversells Committee, and also to the Dennly-Commissioncr for Stamps-

Other business rclnthie to receipts for cargo as between 1 the Wellington Harbour Board, shipping companies, and consignees was discussed, particularly with reference to broken cases that required re-examination. The matter was ieft to a sub-committee for report.