THE CUSTOMS TARIFF

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 9, 5 October 1927, Page 12

THE CUSTOMS TARIFF

FURTHER ALTERATIONS REVERSION TO OLD DUTIES MOTOR VEHICLE BODIES. FILMS AND BOTTLES Several further alterations in the Customs tariff which will come into force to-day were made by the House of Representatives yesterday. The additional amendments are the outcome of representations which have been made to the Minister of Customs (Hon. ,W. D. Stewart) since the new tariff was issued and also seek to remove anomalies which were discovered in the schedules. Notable alterations are the reversion to the old rates of duty with re-, spect to motor vehicles and kinematograph films. After the amending resolutions had been approved the Customs Bill was introduced by Governor-General’s message and read a first time. The second reading will take place today.

Some of the alterations, said the Minister, were of a minor nature, while others were of considerable importance. Duties on maize had been restored to what they were before the first set of resolutions was introduced. In the first set the British duty was reduced from 2s. to Is. per cental, but representations were made that the 2s. duty had not . been in force long enough to give it a fair trial, and various deputations urged that the dutv should be reinstituted in order that'it could be tried out for a longer period. “It was one of those cases,” said the Minister, “where there was a conflict of interest between the growers of maize and those interested in the pig-growing industry. In consideration'of that reversion we have freed up maize, ground or crushed. ' Another alteration was that the current domestic value of wheat-flour, including wheat-meal and sim.ilar preparations of wheat, should not be deemed to exceed the f.o.b. export cash price by more tlujn Al ss. COCOA AND CONFECTIONERY. Dealing with cocoa and confectionery, the Minister said it had been found that the proposed duties on cocoa meant an increase on certain well-known standard lines of cocoa to tlie consumer, and that it was unnecessary to make those duties higher Therefore, it had been decided to allow the old rates to be reverted to for cocoa. . . The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. IL E. Holland) : Cocoa is not produced in New Zealand. The Minister: “Cocoa beans come in free, and it is manufactured for consumption in New Zealand.” A great manv deputations nan been received from importers of confectionery and others over the proposal _ m the first resolutions, and local importers had stated that, while the alteration would be of some assistance in regard to the higher class . grades, it would have the effect of giving less protection to cheaper grades. It was now proposed to make the rates 2a per cent. , A member: Does that cover chocolates ? The Minister: Yes. EGG PULP. The amended duties on egg pulp, continued the Minister, had been fixed at 4d. per lb. under the preferential tariff, and 8d under the general, in order to protect the New Zealand poultryman against the 'importation of pulp from Australia chiefly. A duty of 45 per cent, was considered sufficient as against the Australian article, which was not wanted in New Zealand. A member: Is it an embargo? The Minister said it was not an embargo, but would effect the same object. At 'present large quantities of pulp were made in Australia and exported to the Dominion. . A member: Are there any special treaty rights with Australia? The Minister replied that if there were the present proposal would take their place, because due notice would be given of the change. He had received many communications from the poultrymen/and also deputations on the subject, and they were now satisfied that a fixed rate of 4d. per lb, would be sufficient. In the case of rennet it had been learnt that there was a British, firm with British factories exporting Co New Zealand, and many deputations _ asked for protection for the local factories as against the British rennet. FLOOR COVERINGS. In the case of floor coverings under the first resolutions the duty on carpets was raised ’"roin 20 to 25 pet cent, and from 35 to 45 per cent., the main object the committee had in view being to help a very enterprising carpet manufacturer in the north; but it was found that it was possible to assist him without imposing a duty on all kinds of carpets. So that the original item, which showed 35 per cent, on carpets up to certain sizes, and which had been

struck out under the first proposal, had now been restored to 20 per cent, preferential and 40 per cent, general tariff. It was considered that sufficient protection for the industry would be maintained bv the increase of 5 per cent.— from 35 to 40—the British rate being left as formerly. GLASS BOTTLES. Regarding glass bottles and jars, provision was made to suspend the duties until January 1 next on jars having a capacity of eight fluid ounces, which meant that jam and similar jars required for this season’s operations would be admitted free if of British manufacture. There had been an increase of 5 ner cent, in the foreign dutv on roofing tiles. The duty on sheet glass was now back to the old rate. A foreign duty of 20 per c.ent. had been put on, but, as a result of consultations with the Belgian Consul, it had been decided to revert to.the 10 per cent., as there .was only one British firm manufacturing sheet glass, and there was no quarrel with Belgium. The same position applied to glass rods. A technical amendment, continued the Minister, had been made with reference to the duties on paper. The dutv previously had been removed from carbon paper, but the effect was merely to transfer the trade from Britain to foreign countries, and without benefiting New Zealand industry Provision was, therefore, made 'lithe new resolutions to keep the British free, and leave the duty on as before. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. The Minister explained that in 1921 there was an extension of the duty on certain kinds of agricultural implements, and the present amendment extended it still further in the direction of encouraging the manufacture in New Zealand by an increased' protection. ' A considerable number of items was affected. Vacuum cleaners, previously dutiable, would, by the amendment, now be free. MOTOR BODIES. “Motor body duties,” said the Minister, “have’ been restored to what thev were before. This matter can be more fully debated on the Customs Bill. From all the representations that were made to the Government, it did not appear that the pronosed duties were acceptable to those we thought they would be chiefly of use to. I think they have made a mis= take, and that in a few years’ time the motor body builders will be approaching some Minister of Customs to give them something along the lines of what they are now rejecting. Sir Joseph Ward (Invercargill) : Do the new proposals apply to English cars ? The Minister: Yes. We have gone back as if there had been no alteration at all. ALTERATIONS IN DETAIL EFFECT OF PROPOSALS Appended are given- in summarised form the principal alterations to the tariff the amending resolutions effect:— Maize—British preferential rate, 2s. per cental. . Maize (ground).—British, free; Id. per pound general. Flour.—Current dofuestic value of flour is deemed not' to exceed f.o.b. export price, plus 255. Cocoa.—British, 3d. per pound; general, sd. per pound. Chocolates, also cocoa or chocolate mixed with milk, etc.—British, 25 per cent.; general, 45 per cent. Confectionery—British, now 25 per cent.; general, 45 per cent. Egg pulp.—Twenty-five pef/cent, or 4d. per pound; and 45 per cent., or Bd. per pound, whichever is the higher..

Rennet, n.e.i.—British rate now 10 per cent. Floor mats and floor rugs containing animal fibre, not exceeding 60 square f ee t. Twenty-five per cent and 45 per cent. Inlaid linoleum, cork carpets, rubber flooring, and floor mats of similar materials.—Twenty per cent, and 40 per cent. . Other linoleums n.e.t. until June 30, 1928—Twenty per cent, and 40 per cent., thereafter free and 20 per cent. Carpets, floor rugs, mats and matting n.e.i.—Twenty per cent, and 40 per cent. Syphon bottles for aerated waters.— Opal glass jars now free and 20 per cent. Glass iars, exceeding eight fluid ounces until December 31, 1927.—Tree and 20 per cent., thereafter 15 per cent, and 35 per cent. Glass and earthen roofing tiles. General now .30 per cent. Sheet glass and glass rods and tubing. —General, now 10 per cent. kinematograph films. —Now free and one pennv per foot. Wrapping paper.—Unaltered, except, where paper is lighter in substance than one quarter ounce per sheet of 20 inches by 15 inches, the duty is 6s. 6d. per cwt., or 20 per cent.. 10s.. 6d. per cwt. or 50 per cent., whichever is the higher. Carbon paper—Large sizes free and 20 per cent. Small, 20 per cent, and 40 per cent. Cultivators, harrows, ploughs, drills, seed and fertiliser sowers or distributors, lime sowers, seed or grain cleaners, and cellular seed or grain separators.—lo per cent, and 35 per cent. Other agricultural machinery, including hand-worked ploughs, cultivators, and seed drills, also mould-board plates unbent, steel shareplates cut to pat’ern, skeithplates, plough beam forgings and discs for harrows or ploughs.—Free and free. Vacuum cleaners. —Free and 20 per cent. Motor vehicles revert to the old tariff rates. Timber.—Quercus alba, quercus garryana are omitted from free item. The Customs Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor-General’s Message last night and read a first time. \ POLICEMAN’S UNIFORM RESPECT FROM CHILDREN The question of policemen in uniform appearing in Children’s Courts was discussed in the House of Representatives yesterday, the Minister of Justice indicating that he did not think it necessary to issue any instructions in the matter.. Mr. H G. R. Mason (Eden) expressed appreciation of the child welfare policy,, but .he held it to be wrong for policemen in uniform to be present in the Children’s Court. Mr. W. J. Jordan (Manukau) said he had seen five sergeants in uniform pre r sent at one time in the court at Auckland. Mr.. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said his experience led him to think it would be unwise to take the policeman’s uniform out of the Children’s Court. It was the only thing that remained to remind the child of law and order. It did not inspire fear. He thought most children regarded the policeman as a protector. The Minister of Justice (Hon. F J. Rolleston) said the subject of police appearing in uniform in Children’s Courts was one on which there was a difference of opinion, especially amongst magistrates Personally he could not see what objection there could be to a child seeing a policeman appearing in court ,in uniform ■ He did. not think it necessary to issue ■ any instruction on the question There was no reason why a child should not respect the uniform of a policeman in court. He did not think the question a very important one. The Minister of Education (Hon. R. A. Wright) said he thought too much was being made of the, question of policemen in uniform appearing . in Children’s Courts. The Attorney-Gen-eral had dealt with the question in a way that, met with his approval. SUPERANNUATION CONSOLIDATING MEASURE DEBATED. Although a consolidating measure, the Public Service Superannuation Bill was debated at some length in the House of Representatives last night when ’it came up for second reading consideration. Speakers advocated extension of superannuation provisions to nurses, a more .satisfactory system of compulsory retirement fron the public, service, permanency of the'cost of living bonus, earlier retirement on superannuation for members of the police force, and the conversion of the whole of the superannuation and pension schemes into one comprehensive scheme. The Hon. W. Nosworthv, replying to the debate, said he did not propose to make any amendments to a consolidating Bill in respect of the suggestions made. A committee had been set up by the Government and was considering all the matters referred to. He did not know whether its report would be available this session or next,. but when it was completed it would receive careful consideration. ' A report on the actuarial nosition of the superannuation funds had recently been tabled. He had taken a note of all the points raised and would give them careful consideration and see. whether he could do anythin" in respect of anv of them. The Bill was read a second time. PROGRESS ON BILLS Some progress was made with Government Bills by the House of Representatives last night. The following Bills were read a second time: Magistrate's Court Amendment; Public Service Superannuation; and Apiaries.