GERMAN IMPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18991, 12 October 1923, Page 4

GERMAN IMPORTS.

REPARATION PAYMENTS. A MINISTERIAL S'’ATEMKNT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 11. ’ The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce discussed this week the terms on which goods can be exported from Germany to England as compared with the terms of export from Germany to Now Zealand. Their attention had been drawn to the fact that on sales to England a deduction of 26 per cent, of the invoice price has lo be paid by the English importer to the English Government on reparation account. Complaint is made that we have been asleep in New Zealand and missed the' chance of collecting 26 per cent, of the value of Gorman imports into this country. Tliis matter has not been overlooked in New Zealand. It. was carefully gone into a considerable time ago and a full statement was prepared for the Prime Minister to enable him to discuss the question at the Economic Conference. The general question of methods of recovering reparation moneys through the Customs or otherwise is one on which the New Zealand Government would take action only after consultation with the British Government. It was also alleged at the Chamber of Commerce meeting that by neglecting to collect this 26 ncr cent, goods that Germany sells to England for £IOO maybe dumped on to the Now Zealand market for £74. and the seller would still make tlie same profit as if he had sold to tho English firm for the full amount. From this it seems clear that the Chamber of Commerce misapprehends the effort of the system in force in England. The collection of 26 per cent, would not act in any way ns a depreciated currency duty, as the importer pays no more for the goods by reason of the compulsory deduction of the 26 per cent. He pays £74 to the German exporter and £26 to Ihe Government, “but in addition.’’ says the Hon. W. Downie Stewart (Minister of Customs), “I understand tho German exporter receives a credit not for presentation to his own Government for the amount deducted, and this amount is recoverable by him, thus making up his full sale price of £IOO. I notice also’ that the chairman (Mr Stroiiach Paterson) declared that the _Cusfoms authorities had got into a most frightful mess over the depreciated currency duty, and had overlooked this suggestion about reparation payments which might have helped them. There has been no mess over the depreciated currency, and if the president of tho Christchurch Chamber of Commerce has special knowledge on tho subject he had every opportunity of giving the country tho benefit of his knowledge before the regulations ns to depreciated currency duties on goods from Germany wore brought into force. All the Chambers of Commerce and others interested had submitted to thorn months ago the full proposals of the Customs Department which had been prepared after a careful examination of the regulations in force in Australia and elsewhere, and suggestions and criticisms were invited from those who wore communicated with. The testimony which reached the department from nearly all the responsible organisations in New Zeeland was that the regulations appeared to be admirably drawn for the purpose in view, and in the main those consulted could not suggest any bettor method of dealing With this admittedly complex subject.”