THE TARIFF BILL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIL, Issue 7448, 30 September 1895, Page 3

THE TARIFF BILL.

[From Our Special Reporter.] Wellington, Saturday. One of the great grievances of importers, as disclosed to the Tariff Commission, was that they had no appeal from unjust or contradictory interpretations of the Commissioner, aave by a costly process of appeal to the Supreme Court. The new Tariff Bill has given no relief on this subject, a motion by Mr Duthio to set up a Board of Experts 'to assist the Commissioner in his decisions, having been rejected. In urging its rejection, Mr Ward stated that during his term of office no appeal had been made to the Supreme Court, and that the number of decisions was no indication of dissatisfaction. In reference to this, the well-known firm of Kirkcaldie and Stains write to the Post : — "As it evidently has not reached the Hon. Mr. Ward's inotice that very recently four Wellington firms of considerable magnitude, of which they were one, protested against a decision on soft goods. As the protests were disallowed, action was taken, and notice given to the department. Accordingly writs . were prepared, and Jon the morning of the ~ day they were to be issued, notice was given that the original protests had been reconsidered and allowed, the expenses incurred being paid by the Customs. Steps are being taken in Wellington^ to form an Importers' Protection Association. The executive of this body will, it is proposed, consider all objections to appeals made to it against the Commissioner's decision, and if convinced that the objections are well founded, will defray out of the common fund the cost of going to the Supreme Court for a final decision.