REDUCTIONS OF DUTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22809, 19 February 1936, Page 7

REDUCTIONS OF DUTIES

BRITAIN AND FREE STATE RESULT OF DISCUSSIONS (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) {By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, February 17. Mr Douglas Hacking made the following statement in the House of Commons on relations with the Irish Free State: — "As a result of discussions during the last few weeks it has been agreed that the arrangements made a year ago with regard to the export of coal from the United Kingdom to the Irish Free State, and of cattle from the Irish Free State to the United Kingdom on a pound for pound basis shall be continued, following the arrangement of a year ago. The United Kingdom exports of coal to the Irish Free State in 1935 were 1,000,000 tons greater than in 1934, and it is anticipated that there will be a further increase in 1936. It will be remembered that the Irish Free State Govern.ment has recently removed the duty of 5s a ton on United Kingdom coal." " Further,, the United Kingdom Government will reduce by 10 per cent, ad valorem, or by a corresponding propor-. tion in the case of specific duties, the existing duties on five animals and on meat, except pigs and pig meat, and will make an additional reduction in the duties on horses, sheep and lambs, mutton and lamb. Minor adjustments will also be made in the reduced cattle duties. The arrangements for the regulation of imports of bacon and hams into the United Kingdom in 1936 will provide for an increase of 10 per cent, in the'supplies from the Irish Free State compared with 1935. The Irish Free State Government, for its part, will reduce by 10 per cent, ad valorem, or by a corresponding proportion. in the case of specific duties, the existing emergency duties on United Kingdom goods. Finally, the Irish Free State Government will reserve for the United Kingdom one-third of the imports of cement into the Irish Free State, practically the whole of which has come from foreign countries in recent years. The reductions of duties on both sides will take effect on February 19."