Norfolk Island’s Customs

Tariff

THE following letter by the Collector of Customs in Sydney, which appear ed in the “Sydney Morning Herald” on February 22, is self-explanatory; In a letter bearing the caption “Back to the- Dark Ages,” appearing in your issue of to-day’s date, Mrs. Sylvia K. Morgan complained about the collection of duty on a case of groceries sent by Anthony Hordern and Sons, Ltd., to her son at Norfolk Island, and expressed the opinion that as Norfolk Island is a part of the Commonwealth, such duty should not have been charged any more than if the goods had been sent to Victoria or any of the other States.

Now, Norfolk Island is not a part of the Com monwealth, but is a territory which, by the Norfolk Island Act, 1913, was placed under the authority of, and accepted as a territory by, the Commonwealth, the Parliament of which is em powered to make laws for the government of any territory placed by the King under the authority of, and accepted by, the Commonwealth. Nor folk Island has a Customs Tariff, which is ap plicable to all goods, including those of Australian origin, which are provided for therein, and such duties are collected by this department in Sydney prior to the shipment of the goods to Norfolk Island, and are paid to the revenue of Norfolk Island for defraying the expenditure of the island, as provided in Section 14 of the Norfolk Island Act, 1913.

It might be added that duties of Customs are not chargeable on goods imported into Australia from Norfolk Island if the goods (a) are the produce or manufacture of Norfolk Island, and (b) are shipped direct from Norfolk Island to Australia, and (c) are not goods which, if manu factured or produced in Australia, would be sub ject to any duty of excise.

Mr. Howard S. Hipkin, of the Solomon Islands, arrived in Sydney recently from short furlough in New Zealand. At pre sent he is studying at the House of the Ascension, Goulburn, N.S.W., before re turning to his work at the Melanesian Mission, Mala.