DUMPING DUTY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 85, 9 January 1928, Page 9

DUMPING DUTY

ON AUSTRALIAN BUTTER IN CANADA 1 CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO TRADE AGREEMENT (Rec. January 8, 5.5 p.m.) Ottawa, January 7. It is learned on good authority that the situation resulting from repeated protests by Canadian dairying interests against importations of Australian butter will shortly come to a head. Australian tariff experts have come to the conclusion that the many thousands collected on Australian butter shipments for some time past, by reason of the imposition of the dumping dutv, is distinctly contrary to the Aus-tralian-Canadian 'trade agreement, and it is understood the Toronto Board of Trade , will shortly make an appeal to the Canadian Government for a refund on previous dumping duty payments. It is understood that Canadian Government officials have been wholly reluctant to impose a dumping duty on Australian butter, and frankly intimated that if Australian experts can point a way out they will gladly take it. The preliminary suggestion is made that the general Customs regulations, although providing. for the imposition of a dumping dutv on a commodity sold below the domestic price ruling in the country of manufacture, they do not affect products if sent on consignment. Recent arrivals of 47,000 pounds of Australian butter, therefore, escape tlie dumping provision; but it is pointed out that the consignment arrangement works a hardship on the free movement of trade, since it prohibits regular shipments of the product, with the aim of securing a day-by-day market. . . Australian experts, re-examining the Canadian-Australian agreement, _ discovered a provision which unequivicallv exempts all commodities mentioned there as coming under the reciprocal arrangement from such imposition of dumping duty as provided in the Canadian general Customs regulation. Canadian importers have ■ been advised thereon, and it is expected that they will make every effort to secure action on the exempting provisions.