I move that the Bill be received for final consideration.
Customs Duties (Preferential Rates) Bill, 1934—Report, and Final Stages.
Question put and agreed to.
Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."
I assume that there will be no objection taken to the Fifth Stage now.
On this matter, I want to ask the Minister a question. As there is a certain amount of confusion, with regard to the tea duty, arising out of the new proposals of the Minister for Finance it is well that we should be clear about it. The Minister has power under this Bill, I think, by wiping out the preferential rate on tea coming in here from the Commonwealth countries, to reimpose a tax of 2d. per lb. Can the Minister assure the House that he has no intention of utilising this power of reimposing this tax of 2d. without further reference to the House?
I am not aware there is any confusion about the duty on tea. One newspaper did mislead its readers by an incorrect announcement upon that matter. There has been no misunderstanding. The power is taken to give the preferential rate to any country to which it may be decided to extend it. The question of the continuance of the preferential duty on tea now enjoyed by certain countries is under consideration in connection with certain trade negotiations proceeding. I would not like to make any statement until these particular negotiations are concluded.
Is the Minister not prepared to give an undertaking to the House that the duty on Commonwealth tea of 2d. would not be reimposed as a result of any power that exists at present without bringing in a Bill?
The preferential rate of duty on tea is nil. Under this Act the benefit of that preferential rate can be given to additional countries or withdrawn from any country. The only change that could be made is in the matter of defining the countries that may enjoy that preferential rate.
The situation with regard to tea is not very clear. Are we to understand that from the 1st July next Commonwealth tea is to be free of all tax?
That does not arise on this Bill.
I think it does, more or less.
The position from the 1st July will be that a duty of 2d. per lb. will operate on tea with a preferential rate nil enjoyed by those countries to which a preferential rate is extended.
And that may be wiped out by this Bill after it becomes an Act.
The position is not clear, because anything may happen between this and 1st July.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill certified to be a Money Bill within the meaning of Article XXXV of the Constitution.