FEDERAL TAXATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18169, 6 November 1930, Page 7

FEDERAL TAXATION.

INCREASE ON IMPOSTS. PRIMAGE DUTY RAISED. i ■ United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received Nov. 6, 11.45.a.m.) CANBERRA, Nov. 5. Resolutions for immediate increases in the tariff on certain goods have been submitted to the House of Representatives. The Customs Duty on tobacco is increased to 2s 2d per lb and the excise duty to 2s per lb. Tea will have to bear a customs/ duty of 4d per lb if imported in bulk and 6d per lb in packets not exceeding 201 b net weight. Kerosene, which was formerly admitted free, now bears a duty of a penny per gallon. Coffee, chicory, rubber, cutlery, carpets, filament lamps, and a variety of other goods are affected. The primage duty has been increased from 2£ to 4 per cent. Hon. F. N. Forde, assistant Minister of Customs, in tabling the tariff increase resolutions, said there would be no justification for asking the publio to pay the whole of the tea tax. The same applied to rubber, and the Government was confident the oil companies would carry the penny per gallon duty on kerosene and ltibri-* eating oils.

THE DUTY ON TEA. PRICE TO CONSUMERS. NO IMMEDIATE INCREASE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received Nov. 6, 12.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 6. The representative of a large importing firm is of opinion that there will be no immediate increase in tea and coffee prices following the new duties, which he considered a form of taxation preferable to income tax, and more cheaply collected. BEAT THE CUSTOMS.

STEAMER’S RUN AGAINST TIME,

1,000,000 LB OF TEA CLEARED. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received Nov. 6, 12.40 p.m.) BRISBANE, Nov. 0. The steamer Barrabool arrived at Brisbane yesterday from India and Ceylon. When news of the impending tea tax was spread a wireless message was sent to the ship which carried 1,000,0001 b of tea for various States. She speeded up, and in an exciting race against the clock reached port in time to enable the cargo to be cleared before the Customs Office closed. The tea thus entered duty free, and the Government lost over £16,000.