DUTY UPON FOREIGN RADIOS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1934, Page 5

DUTY UPON FOREIGN RADIOS

TARIFF SCHEDULE ALTERATION. ASSISTANCE OF LOCAL INDUSTRY. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. An increase in the duty on foreign radio sets mounted in cabinets, to take effect as from to-morrow, was decided upon by the House of Representatives -* to-night. The rates fixed are: Built up, but not mounted in cabinets, 35 per cent; mounted in cabinets, 45 per cent. There is no alteration in the British preferential rate. Discussing the matter in the House the Minister of Customs, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, read the following statement: “It will be remembered that under the amending resolutions which were introduced into this house on August 23 it was proposed that parts of radio sets and sets built up (but not in cabinets) were to be admitted free of duty if under the British preferential tariff and charged at 25 per cent, if of foreign make. These were the rates in force under the old tariff. “With respect to radio sets in cabinets it was proposed that under the British preferential tariff the rate should be 10 per cent, up to the end of May next and that thereafter they should be free of duty. The reason for the postponement was to enable the Government to take up with Australia and, if necessary, with Canada the question of making a satisfactory arrangement with those countries. “It was proposed that the rate of foreign sets mounted in cabinets should be 35 per cent, ad valorem. It has since been pointed out that owing to the intense competition from imported sets which is taking place due to various causes the local industry, which has assumed large proportions, will not be able to hold a sufficient portion of the trade. to carry on effectively. It has therefore been decided to fix the rate on foreign sets when made up, but not mounted in cabinets, at 35 per cent, and when mounted in cabinets at 45 per cent.”