Duties on Australian Goods

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 May 1933, Page 3

Duties on Australian Goods

BROUGHT UP TO BRITISH LEVEL. WELLINGTON, Last Night. A notice is gazetted to-night that the rates of duty payable on United Kingdom goods will be applied to the revlowing Australian goods from the dates mentioned: — On and from June 3: Cdt and plug manufactured tobacco. On and from August I: Confectionery, fresh apricots, cherries, grapes, peaches., plums, tomatoes, cigarettes, spirits, floor coverings, apparel and hosiery, fur, skins and made-up furs, glass bottles and jars, china ware, fancy goods, sporting requisites, toilet preparations, motor vehicles, sashes and doors. Commenting on the notice respecting the duties, Mr. Coates states that under the tariff agreement between Australia and New Zealand neither country can impose Customs duty or increase the rate of duty on goods produced or manufactured by the other except by mutual agreement until after six months' notice. The Gazette notifications have nothing to do with the provisional agreement reached with Senator Massy Greene which has since been approved by the Governments of both countries. It is not the settled tariff policy of New Zealand that duties on Australian products should be less than those on similar United Kingdom products except in the case of special goods such as timber, fish, etc. Mr., Coates said another reason for giving notice was that it was found with respect to tobacco and cigarettes that the revenue was likely to be pro-' judiced owing to the importation Of such goods from Australia at lower rates of duty than those levied on similar United Kingdom goods. Advantage was taken of the presence of Senator Massy Greene to obtain the

consent of the Australian Government to increase the duties on Commonwealth cut and plug tobacco to rates provided for in the Customs Acts Amendment Act passed in February last. “I regret that particulars cannot at present be supplied respecting the agreement recently made. The usual course is not to publish the details until legislation is introduced into the Parliaments of both countries. ’ ’