PROTESTS FROM MERCHANTS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 268, 13 November 1909, Page 2

PROTESTS FROM MERCHANTS.

PROPOSED ALTERATION

[PEESB ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, Nov. 12. A meeting of wholesale merchants passed a resolution protesting against -the one per cent, primage on dutiable godog, owing to the trouble of collecting it and making special declarations of which the bulk must fall on sale traders. Theyrecommended an alternative imposition of 2d per pound **■whicb ZtigSSmfsStuL*A meeting of local merchants protested strongly against the form. m which the Government propose to collect primage duty.'The difficulty of computing the tajc, together with the getting to? the necessary information from the Customs Department, in addition to the trouble caused to Cuctoms officers, was*; considered alto-, tether disproportionate to the sum to c raised. It was suggested that if, a more simple means, of raising this revenue cannot be adopted, primage duty should be levied on all dutiable goods as imported, and not on goqds in bond. The merchants make ihe suggestion that the amount required should simply be collected by the imposition' of a temporary duty of &d •on sugar.