ASSESSMENT OF DUTIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17650, 10 December 1920, Page 7

ASSESSMENT OF DUTIES.

EFFECT OF NEW DECISION. NOT TO BE RETROSPECTIVE. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Dec. 9. In connection with the. decision of the High Court regarding the exchange basis i of assessment of duties on goods from | foreign countries, the important question ■ j has arisen whether, in view of the ruling • of the Court, duties which the Customs I Department has been levying in excess I_ of the actual rate of exchange, shall be rej funded. As probably .most of the goods | levied upon have passed out of the hands | of importers at prices allowing for the i full rate of exchange, it is considered impracticable to make a refund, and it is hot improbable that Parliament will be asked to indemnify the Customs Department for any collections wrongfully made. In regard 1 to countries where the sterling exchange has depreciated, like the United States and Japan, the Customs Department has been applying the same principle as where the sterling exchange has appreciated,' and therefore has collected less duty than it should have done. In the latter case it is considered unlikely that the Customs Department will ask importers of American and Japanese goods to make good the extra duty not collected. It is likely that the decision of the Court will apply to all future importations from both countries. The legal aspect of the whole position is being considered.