CUSTOMS CHARGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22295, 22 June 1934, Page 8

CUSTOMS CHARGES

POSSIBILITY OF ALTERATIOM IMPORTERS CONCERNED (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, June 21. i With another session of Parliament about to open some importers are nucertain as to their position in the evnit of. changes in the rate of the Customs charges on consignments which were not landed from the liner Wanganella on Tuesday. About 200 tons of general cargo had to be taken back to. Sydney owing to the lack of time to discharge. There is a possibility that on some of the goods among these there may. be aa increase in duty, and on. others a decrease is likely. There are several aspects to take into consideration, however, as the local office of the Huddart, Parker Company has not yet received advice from Sydney as to what'is to happen to the short-landed cargo. The Wanganella is expected at Sydney on Saturday, and will leave th» same day for a cruise to Noumea and Norfolk Island, returning thence to' Sydney before making the trip to Wellington. After, visiting Sydney and Melbourne again the ship is due at Auckland on July 18. Before that date it is possible that the proposed revised Customs charges, consequent on the sittings of the Tariff Commission, will b« in operation, and if the cargo remains aboard some importers may lose and others may benefit thereby. " On the other hand, a clause might im inserted in the Bill to exempt ships .'at sea from the changes. As the law standi at present, if special provision lis not made when the changes come before Parliament the Government is not obliged to allow any concession in view of the fact that the cargo has already 1 been in port, as in most cases the undischarged consignments have not been presented, to the Customs Department- for the assessment of duty. i _.,.,H,-:;'.:■ :