A MATTER OF" CUSTOMS DUTY

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 61, 9 September 1905, Page 14

A MATTER OF CUSTOMS DUTY

-'* .The- feommonwealUi -Crown ""Solicitor 4ias notified the Mildura Irrigation Trust that a writ in the High Court will be issued, for the recovery of duty on machinery imported by Chaffey Brothers, "Limited, for raising and supplying the settlement with -water sixteen years ago. -In the letter of demand, which is dated •the 16th August, it is mentioned that the State Premier had intimated to the |Commonwealth Government his wish 'to obtain payment, -and that he would "be ■glad if the necessary steps were taken U> Tecover the duty. On the Bth August the Water Supply Department informed the Trust that no action had been taken by the State Government .to cause t/he demand to be -renewed. The original amount of this belated demand was £2199, but thia ie now reduced 'to £764, being apparently at the Commonwealth tariff rate- of 12i per cont. on the originaUvalue, £611j: 7s 7d, the. unpaid duty being Tegarded as a Federal asset to "be recovered by the Commonwealth Government. The firm 6eems never, to have acknowledged the claim, and the recovery of the money is very doubtful. In the original Act and its subsequent amendments no mention of liability for duty is made, and tho fact of tho State having power to vest tho ■machinery in tho Triiit, and tho intention of the Legislature to protect the machinery from liabilities and outside claims, would appear to debar tlio State from claiming payment of duty which, if recoverable bhould long since have been collected. '