asked the Minister for Finance whether a secondhand reflex photographic camera, purchased by Edmond Keohan, of Dungarvan, from a gentleman in London, has been detained at Rosslare since last November, and will not be released without the payment of an ad valorem duty of thirty-three and one-third per cent.; whether photographic cameras of British manufacture are not admitted free of duty into the Free State; whether the seller of the camera in question did not furnish to the Customs authorities at Rosslare an invoice showing that the camera was of British manufacture, and if he will state how still the authorities refuse to release it without the production of the original invoice, which, considering that the camera may be six or seven years old, is a matter of difficulty; whether the camera is not one of the “Planex Reflex” type, which is distinctly of British manufacture, and whether he will explain why this hold up is persisted in in face of the above facts.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - IMPORTATION OF A CAMERA.
A camera consigned to Mr. Keohan, of Dungarvan, was imported at Rosslare on the 27th November last. The normal practice would be for the Revenue Department to release it either on payment of the duty chargeable or without payment of duty if the prescribed certificate of origin showing that the camera is of British manufacture is presented with the import entry to the Customs officers. Cameras of British manufacture are admitted without payment of duty provided proof of British consignment and manufacture, in the form prescribed by the Revenue Commissioners, is produced. On this particular camera there are no marks indicating that it is of British manufacture. An invoice relating to the camera was produced, but did not satisfactorily establish that the camera is of British manufacture. The prescribed certificate of origin, not the original invoice, was asked for, and this has not yet been furnished. Such certificates have been invariably produced in the past, but as in the present instance there appears to be a genuine difficulty in obtaining the certificate, the Commissioners have, in the circumstances, authorised the delivery of the camera free of duty.