Another

Primage

Anomaly

Papuan Gum, 10%; Egyptian Pays 5%

ONE of the ridiculous anomalies under which the Islands trade suffers was thus described in the Sydney Morning Herald in September by Mr. P. F. Parkes, of Messrs. W. S. Tait and Co., Ltd.: On July 25 reductions in primage were announced specifying alterations in rates from 10 per cent, to 5 per cent, when ad missible under “British preferential tariff.”

Among items listed are: 254 A. Shellac, sandarac, and other dry gums, n.e.i. 254 C. Gums such as copal, damar, gutta percha, etc.

None of these items are produced in the United Kingdom, but most of them are produced in British colonies. One gum in particular is produced in the Territory of Papua, but under Customs classifica tion Papua is not considered as eligible for British preference, and the gum is charged primage at the higher rate of 10 per cent.

One asks why are these items included in the schedule if the goods cannot be allowed to enter when shipped direct from the country of production to Australia, especially in the case of Papua, which is practically Australian territory, but which for preference purpose is treated as a foreign country.

Mr. R. W. Robson referred to this mat ter at the meeting of the Islands Trade section of the Sydney Chamber of Com merce on September 28, and reminded the section that he had brought up this sub ject of primage on Papuan products a year ago, when a resultless appeal was made to the Federal Government to put Papua on the same basis at least as Norfolk Island.

Mr. Parkes said that gum shipped to Australia from Egypt was charged pri mage of 5 per cent.; but the same article, shipped to Australia from Papua, had to pay 10 per cent.

Other members were of opinion that to approach the Federal Government was only waste of time. Bureaucracy had complete charge of these things, and Ministers usually did what they were told.

It was decided to direct the attention of the authorities to the matter.