TARIFF REVISION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19969, 10 December 1926, Page 12

TARIFF REVISION.

SITTINGS OF COMMISSION. METHOD OF EVIDENCE. (Special to Dails Times.) WELLINGTON, December J). The recently-appointed Tariff Revision Commission proposes to visit various places in the Dominion to take evidence from those desirous of making representations respecting the Customs tariff. The method by which this information may be tendered was described in an official notification gazetted to-night. It is explained that any person desiring to make such representations in person should advise the chairman of the commission at the Customs Department as to the article, or articles, in respect of which it is wished that the Customs tariff should be maintained or altered. It is essential that the place, or places, at which such evidence can be tendered should be stated as soon as possible, as the itinerary of the commission must be arranged at an early date. Where there is an association or other body, representiny any particular trade or commercial interest, and such association, or body, is able to tender evidence of a satisfactory and comprehensive character, it will be preferred that the evidence be given by that association or body. Where personal evidence is to be given before the commission the person intending to appear is asked to supply previously, if possible, written information along the lines set out in the first schedule of the notification, as it appeared in the Gazette. Due notice will be given of the time and place at which the commission will sit in the various centres visited, and, as the commission’s report has to be presented to the Minister of Finance before June 30 next, it is necessary that interested , parties should indicate as soon as possible the matters upon which they desire to make representations. All evidence supplied to the commission, either in writing or otherwise, will be regarded as confidential. It is important that, as far as possible, all the evidence tendered to the commission should relate to specific articles or classes of articles, and that where it includes matters of fact, such as the landed cost, manufactured cost, selling prices, or cost of transport of goods, or rates of wages, whether in hiew Zealand or elsewhere, such evidence should be supported by the authorities, or other documents on which the evidence is based. It is not expected that, except under special circumstances, the commission will be able to hear evidence at places other than Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, and Wellington. From time to time it is proposed to publish lists of articles with respect to which the commission has been asked or proposes to take evidence. It has to be understood, however, that the commission does not bind itself to take evidence concerning, or to consider, only the articles mentioned in -the lists.