MOTOR ASSEMBLING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 65, 14 September 1934, Page 13

MOTOR ASSEMBLING

IMPORTATION OF PARTS

FIXING OF CONDITIONS

Power to fix conditions in connection with, the importation . into New Zealand of unassembled parts of motor vehicles is given the Minister of Customs in amending legislation submitted to the Houso of Representatives last niglit. ■ „ Tho Minister is authorised by way of Gazette notice to determine goods which may be entered under the revised tariff as motor vehicles unassembled or completely knocked down, and similarly to determine tho conditions under which those goods are to be imported and the purposes for which they are to be used. A fine of £100, or three times the value of the goods, whichever is the greater, is the penalty prescribed for those who enter goods not entitled to be so entered or who use them otherwise than in accordance with the determination of the Minister.

As an explanation of the provision, Mr. Coates read to tho House the folio wing memorandum: "It is necessary that a list of goods which are to be admitted as unassembled or completely knocked-down motor vehicles should be published for the information of the general public. It is considered that in the initial stages it will not be advisable as a condition of admission of goods at the lower rate to insist upon the maximum amount of assembly work that could possibly be performed here. The policy should rather be to insist at the commencement upon a minimum of work # wMch must be carried on in tho Dominion, and by degrees modify the definition of unassembled or completely knocked-down ,cars, so that an increasing amount of local labour and materials may be utilised in New Zealand. In these circumstances, it is obvious that it is not possible to set out a list of the goods in the Act, and it is therefore necessary that authority should be conferred on the Minister to determine from time to time the goods which may be entered as unassembled or completely knockeddown motor vehicles. The experience of the administration in dealing with this matter has been hitherto limited to cases in which the same rate of duty applied both to the complete vehicle and to the unassembled parts. Now that the rates are different and as the conditions under which these parts will be imported and the purposes for which they may be used are not fully known, it is necessary to take power to ensure that the intention of the proposals is carried out."