HARBOUR REVENUE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 129, 2 June 1936, Page 14

HARBOUR REVENUE

BOARDS EEAIi LOSS

CROWN AND DAIRY PRODUCE

(By Telegraph — Press* Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, June 1

Fears that the passing of the Primary Products Marketing Bill, whereby all butter and cheese from New Zealand will be exported as the property of the Crown, may involve harbour boards in considerable loss of revenue, were expressed by Mr. h.J. Howard, M.P., retiring chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, at a meeting of the board today. Mr-Howard emphasised that under the legislation Sready on the Statute Book all Crown goods were exempt from payment ot Subdues, and if the Bill became law in its present form it would be possible in some circumstances for the Government Audit Office to plead thu, exemption in relation to dairy produce. Mr Howard said he was not altogether reassured by the statements by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash to the Harbours' Association, 5 a harbour board would no suffer through the passing of the Bill. The danger was not so much in the general provisions of the Bill, which madediry produce Crown property when it was placed on board a ship or export, for in that case dues would already have been paid beford! the Crown took it over, said Mr. Howard. There was a proviso, however, that the mignt deem the Produce to be Crown property at any stage before shipment, and it was in such cases that harbour boards were likely to i>e 3 Tletter from Mr. Nash to the Harbours' Association dated May 14 stated that it was definitely the intention of he Government that harbour boards should not suffer through the passing £ the Primary Products Marketing Bill So long as the Government conSued to acquire a title to dairy produce at an f.o.b. point, wharfage and other harbour dues were payable by factories as at present even if thetitle to the goods were taken at an earuei print Having regard to the Provisions of section 78 of the Harbours Act it was clear that the position of harbour boards would not be prejudiced as in that case harbour dues would be paycontinuedl that he CrowrSVffice TC »& # he w2s assured that no further legislation was required to prevent harbour boards suffering loss by the passing of the' Bill. This ruling-was brad-! nl on Departments of State, so that n any" case where dues were payable by the Crown there would be no difficulty about their payment. . . "I know that the intention of the Minister is as stated in the letter,' said Mr Howard. "He has promised legislation if it affects us, yet the Crown Law Office opinion is not binding, as : hasbeen proved in the past. The Audit Office, which has to act on legislation ; as it stands, is the one that counts The Harbours' Association is watching i the position closely."