REVISED DUTIES

Southland Times, Issue 22156, 26 October 1933, Page 8

REVISED DUTIES

WIDE RANGE COVERED LIST OF PRINCIPAL ITEMS MUTUAL BENEFITS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, October 25 The Trade Agreement (New Zealand and Australia) Ratification Bill which was introduced into the House of Representatives to-night provides for the ratification of the trade agreement between Australia and New Zealand. Lower rates than the British preferential tariff have been arranged on a number of New Zealand commodities, the chief of which are:— Still wine.—4/- instead of 19/- per gallon. Bacon and hams.—2d instead of 3d per pound. Stilton cheese.—Free instead of 6d per pound. Fresh, smoked or dried fish—Free instead of Id per pound. Seed peas.—Free instead of 1/6 per cental.

Hay and chaff.—Free instead of £1 per ton. Meats preserved in airtight containers. —Twopence instead of 3d per pound. Fish soups.—Free instead of 30 per cent, or 3d per pound. Onions. —£1 instead of £8 per ton. Apparel.—Twenty-five per cent instead of various rates.

Woollen floor rugs.—Free instead of 15 per cent.

Pig iron.—Free instead of £1 per ton.

Certain agricultural and dairying machines and implements.—Free instead of the various rates. Certain lines of machinery.—Twenty per cent, instead of the various higher rates.

Tallow—Free instead of 2/- per cwt. or 10 per cent. Whale oil.—Free instead of 6d per gallon. Sugar of milk.—Fifteen per cent, instead of 30 per cent. Hewn or rough sawn timber.—Free instead of the various rates. _ Shotgun cartridges.—Free instead of 15 per cent, and primage duty abolished from New Zealand goods. New Zealand grants to Australian goods the benefits of the British preferential tariff except in certain lines where higher duties are imposed. The chief ones are:— Hops.—9d instead of 6d per pound. Potatoes. —£2 10/- instead of £1 per ton. Fresh vegetables.—2s per cent, instead of 20 per cent. Fresh cherries.—3d instead of 2d. Canned fruits, except pineapples—3s per cent, instead of 25 per cent. Jams.—2Jd instead of 2d per pound. Soap.—3o per cent, instead of 25 per cent. Rugs, blankets and textiles containing wool. —25 per cent, instead of 20 per cent. Footwear other than rubber—3s per cent, instead of 25 per cent. Leather bags.—3o per cent, instead of 25 per cent. Roofing tiles.—2o per cent, instead of 10 per cent. Tinware and galvanized iron manufactures. —30 per cent, instead of 25 per cent. Lower duties than the British preferential rates are imposed on certain Australian products, the chief of which are:— Hay and chaff.—Free instead of 20 per cent, or £1 per ton. Seed peas.—Free instead of 2/- per cental. Confectionery.—27J per cent, instead of 30 per cent. Still wine.—4/- instead of 6/- per gallon. Rough sawn or hewn timber—Free instead of 7/6 or 9/6 per 100 ft. . A duty of one penny per pound is imposed on raisins under the general tariff. The agreement is to be brought into force by proclamation subject to termination on six months’ notice by either Government. There is a definite understanding between the two Governments to deal with .the position in the event of the diversion of New Zealand’s import trade from the United Kingdom to Australia. Australia abolishes the sales tax on New Zealand goods where similar Australian goods are exempt.