FURS AND MOTORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 215, 5 June 1919, Page 4

FURS AND MOTORS

ARE THEY TAXED FULLY? ! Fur coats and motor-cars were among the matters mentioned in evidence before the Industries Committee yesterday, when the Comptroller of Customs (Mr. W. B. Montgomery) was giving evidence. "What is the rate of duty on the fur coats that are selling at prices up to. 200 guineas in this town?" asked the chairman of the committee (Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P.). Mr. Montgomery said that the duty on - fur coats was 25 per cent, ad valorem on British goods and 371 per cent, ad valorem on foreign goods. Tho chairman said he would like to know if, the public, were getting a faildeal in regard to such' goods. Did' tho very high prices charged in the shops represent fair values? Mr'. Montgomery said that would be n question for the Board of Trade to consider. A comparison of invoice prices and retail prices would disclose the facta. The. question might be asked regarding many of the articles sold to the public. Mr. Wilkinson: Would you approve ol a special tax on such luxuries? Mr. Montgomery: The taxation is pretty heavy already. If an article is expensive tho ad valorem duty is high. Tho chairman asked how the Customs Department assessed the value of motorcars for the purpose of the collection ot duty. _ Mr. Montgomery said that the Department had 'an inquiry agent in Great Britain. This officer had ascertained the fair market prices'of all makes of motorcars exported to New Zealand. Tho Department at present had nn agent travollimr through the United States gathering similar information there. The agents were fully qualified men. Tho Comptroller of Customs added that tho Department collected duty on the fair market value, which was tho price at which anr person of good financial standing could buy the article. The Department did not accent a /'hole, and corner" price or necessarily the wholesale price.