DISABLED SOLDIERS

Grey River Argus, 6 August 1937, Page 8

DISABLED SOLDIERS

1 IMPORTATION OF PRODUCTS , I ’ QUESTION OF CUSTOMS DUTY The opinion that Lady Haig had been misinformed when, in London recently, she made reference to customs duty charged on handicrafts made by distressed. Imperial ex-ser-vicement in Australia and New Zealand, was expressed by Mr. H. W. Guy, organising secretary of the Disabled Sailor’s and Soldiers’ Mutual Association, of London. Mr. Guy is al present engaged in displaying work b>' disabled ex-servicemen of Britain at exhibitions in the Dominion. Lady Haig was reported to have deplored the attitude of the British Government in imposing customs duties on such articles and to have praised New Zealand and Australia for admitting duty free similar articles made by British ex-servicemen. Mr. Guy said he could state categorically that- articles made by disabled men in England paid full duty and sales tax when sold in New Zealand. He had interviewed the New Zealand Minister of Customs, the Hon. W. Nash, on the matter before he left London, and, although Mr. Nash had been sympathetic, he had stated that it was quote impossible to make any exception. “I am entirely in agreement with Lady Haig in deploring the attitude taken up by the various Governments in this matter,” Mr. Guy addes. “The disabled men who make the articles are quite sufficiently handi-

capped by their disabilities, and it should not be impossible for the Governments to come to some agreement to allow merchandise of tnis type free entry.”