PREFERENTIAL TARIFF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12737, 14 December 1904, Page 3

PREFERENTIAL TARIFF.

AN IMPORTERS' GRIEVANCE. MONEY IN THE HANDS *OF THE GOVERNMENT. Fhkrk was a brie, discussion at a meeting >{ the council of the Auckland Chamber ol Commerce yesterday with regard to com plaints of importers that considerable sums if money have been deposited with the Customs authorities on account of irregularity if certificates of origin of goods, and cannot je recovered. The matter arose out of a communication from the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce, which was read at a previous meeting. Yesterday the secretary Mr. H. Goulstone) reported that he had seen the Collector of Customs at Auckland, who had allowed him to read a letter on the subject from the Secretary for 'Customs. It appeared from this letter that £46 16s if Auckland deposits had gone into the revenue account, and the Crown law officers said this could not be refunded until .Parliament meets next session, and votes a sum 'or the purpose on the Estimates. The letter proceeded: "In future, in all cases where /here is no certificate, and the importer aleges in writing that this happened through lecident, if the collector has reason to believe that the goods are of British origin, preferential duty is to be received on deposit, [lending the production of a properly certified invoice at the Customs. Six months ire to bo allowed, and if the invoice is not then forthcoming the money goes into revenue." The .secretary added that since these instructions were received on November 16 the money had been taken on, deposit, und there was now about £-100 lying on deposit. Mr. M. M. McCallum said his firm had paid (he Customs one sum which was not included in the £46 16s referred to. If the Customs ha'd received £400 since November L 6 they must have received more than £46 L6s in the previous six months. The trouble was. that shippers in London did not know the form of invoice which had to be sent, and it took time to get- a proper certificate to satisfy the Customs, and meantime they charged duty on British goods which ought Lo be free. Instead of taking it on deposit they had paid it in to revenue, and evidently the Government could not disgorge. The remedy had now been provided, and ought to have been provided before. Others members agreed that the system of taking money on deposit for six months was perfectly satisfactory, and the matter was allowed to drop. SUGGESTED OVERTURES TO AUSTRALIA. PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF ..-, MAIZE. ■ The question of arranging for preferential trade between New Zealand and Australia came before the. council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. John Reid, president of the Chamber, stated that nfc last mesting of the Chamber he referred to the fact that New Zealaud gave a preference to Australian wine, and urged that Australia should give New Zealaud .something in return. Since then he had been encouraged to bring the matter '.forward again, and he now suggested that a committee of the Chamber" should consider the question. He thought this' colony might well urge the preferential treatment of maize from New Zealand. Mr. Craves Aickiu: Maize is about the only thing we could get a rebate on. Sir. Reid: It is the only thing from the north of Xew Zealand that I can think of. Mr. Oakden said 1 a. rebate on mullet might be considered. .Mr. Reid said he believed Sir Joseph Ward got some encouragement at one time from South Australia, but the States had been federated Since. The whole matter was then referred to the Exporters' Committee.