THE PRIMAGE BOGEY

Evening Star, Issue 20255, 16 August 1929, Page 6

THE PRIMAGE BOGEY

CAN'T BE PASSED OH MEMBER'S PRACTICAL VIEW [FIIOU OcE FJLRX.UUESTAKT RefOSTXIS.J WELLINGTON, August 15. As one who bad retailed poods to the public for thirty years, Mr Munns (Roskill) assured the House to-day that the 1 per cent, primage duty imposed by the Government could not be passed on to the consumer. The I per cent, had been added so that the Government might make up its deficit, and it would not have been put on, even temporarily, had ready money not been required. “ I don’t like it any more than any-: ono else,” confessed Mr Munns, “ because ho young politician likes to come hero and find his Government takinga course with which he doesn’t agree in its entirety. I admit that it is-a pity it couldn’t have been done some other way, but the money had to be found, and as a general thing I say that this extra 1 per cent pnmago cannot be passed on.” Mr Munns said he had imported much crockery and hardware, and had worked on an average of one-third profit, which was the least anyone could succeed on. The trumpery amount of 1 per cent, simply couldn’t be passed on by the average trader. For instance, on a pound or tea at 2s, primage represented one-fifth of a penny. That tea would still be sold at 2s a pound. Sugar (and all the prices quoted were wholesale) would pay one-fifth of a penny a pound; that again could not be passed on. In the case of sugar it worked out at something like lsd per bag. South African jam (and it was a pity that any of it came into New Zealand, when we had so much of our own fruit) would pay one-nineteenth of a penny; whisky (and that was a subject that struck very near to the hearts of some people; would pay only three-fifths of a penny. Facetious cries of “ shame.”

It seemed to Mr Munns that the primage duty had been made a bogey, He admitted that, it might add to the cost of luxuries, such as motor cars, imported boots, and Paris models. He had known of a frock recently bought in Wellington for 80gs. Who would object to putting primage duty on that? He only hoped such luxuries were taxed to the extent of 10, 20, or oven 50 per cent. Mr Samuel: Would you be in favour of confining the primage to luxuries only? Mr Munns: I would he in favour of confining the member for Thames if he doesn’t keep quiet.