IMPORT DUTIES BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21580, 27 February 1932, Page 11

IMPORT DUTIES BILL

READY FOR ROYAL ASSENT NEWSPRINT ON FREE LIST (British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY, February 25. (Received Feb. 26, at 5.5 p.m.) The committee stage -of the Import Duties Bill was completed in the House of Commons last night, and it is anticipated that the Bill will receive the Royal Assent in time for the duties to become operative on March 1. Consideration last night was given to items in the schedule of goods exempted from duty. The Government accepted a proposal ■to exclude hemp from the free list. An amendment for the removal of newsprint from ,the list of exempted goods was resisted, and on a division it was retained on the free list by 317 votes to CO. Major C. R. Attlee (Lab.) moved a new clause to provide that duties would be withdrawn from any industry failing to reorganise itself in accordance with the Board of Trade’s requirements. This was rejected by 356 votes to 46. Mr Chamberlain, in replying, declared that the emptiness of the Labour benches throughout the debate showed that whatever the Labourites said' they were sanguine enough to hope that the Bill would remove the whole subject from the field of controversy. The British worker was a Protectionist at heart, and recognised that his only chance of maintaining his standard of life was by the imposition of the same Protection as other nations enjoyed. The future historian would mark the passage of the Bill as Britain’s beginning of a new career. Hand in hand with her own possessions and sister countries within the Empire she would become the central figure of a great economic federation, wide and strong enough to withstand any checks to her fortunes in future. The Bill passed its third reading by 442 votes to 62 amidst wild Conservative cheering, Mr Neville Chamberlain was given an ovation as he re-entered the Chamber. RUSH OF FOREIGN IMPORTS i SHiPS RACING TO PORTS. LONDON, February 26. (Received Feb. 26, at 5,5 p.m.) The Import Duties Bill will receive the Royal Assent on Monday, and the duties will be chargeable after 5 o’clock on Monday afternoon. There has been a heavy rush of foreign imports during the last few days. The Port of London’s wharves are crowded, and wharf labourers at many ports have been working night and day. ' Denmark and Holland are sending record quantities of condensed milk, and every available ship is being used to land German potatoes. Manchester this week received 20,000 tons of general cargoes above normal. Shjps in every sea within possibility of reaching ports by Monday have been ordered to make full speed to Britain and land at the first available port if unable to reach' their normal destinations. Shipowners are taking out insurances against delays with cargoes, paying premiums up to half the duties leviable thereon. SMALL MLTTER'OF LABOURITES LONDON, February 26. (Received Feb. 27, at 0.15 a.m.) Surprise was expressed in the lobby at the small muster of Labourites against the Tariff Bill, there being only about 38. It is estimated that 23 Samuelites, including the Home Secretary, voted against the Government. The Morning Post says: “ Who could have foreseen a year, even six months, ago that we should travel so far so soon? Incredible as it must seem there has been no effective resistance.”