AN UNUSUAL PROCEDURE

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 6

AN UNUSUAL PROCEDURE

MOTOR BODIES DUMPED AT SEA CUSTOMS REBATE ON “RE- Z EXPORT.” CHRISTCHURCH, August 27. Ly l ner on J- lle raiiway truck alongside the steamer Storm at Lyttelton this morning were two particularly handsome sedan motor bodies. They were waiting to be loaded on top of the ship’s hatch to be dumped when the vessel arrived outside Lyttelton Heads. The bodies, which were of a new type, convertible from tourer to Closed m car. were being dumped so that a Christchurch motor firm could obtain the Customs rebate on their “ re-export.” The bodies, when imported some time ago, were fitted with chassis, but the firm found that this new idea in cars was not a selling proposition at about £3OO. After being stored for some time the chassis were taken away and new bodies of the usual design were fitted.

It was no use keeping the bodies stored, as they could never have been sold,” stated a representative of the motor firm. “ The Customs duty on cars when they came in was 40 per cent, or more and by dumping the bodies into the sea we will receive from the Customs Department a rebate on their value, which is far more than we could have obtained from anj’ sale if ever one were made. These two ears were the first of their kind to be brought into Canterbury, and I think that they will be the last. We bought the cars on paper and afterwards found that they were unsuitable to New Zealand conditions. The Customs Department will grant the rebate because it is better for New Zealand that bodies should be fitted on cars here, thus providing more employment.” In the case of dumping of this sort the bodies are the propertj’ of the Marine Department once they leave the wharf on their journey to the dumping ground. The waterside workers engaged about the ship this morning were bitter in their protests against the Government for allegedly enforcing the dumping of these bodies, which, they claimed, could be made available for some hospital or orphanage as summer houses or garden seats, or otherwise auctioned, instead of meeting with unwarranted destruction.