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whatever benefits may in theory accrue to Hong Kong
products under the Intermediate Tariff, in practice the
Canadian authorities have no intention of permit ting
Hong Kong ropes to find a market in Canada.
10. In his evidence before the Commission, Mr. Coulthart
stated that in 1930 the Company sent a shipment of rope
to Canada on the understanding that the goods would be
subject to the General Tariff rate of 25%. After payment
of the import duty, however, these goods were subjected
to a further dumping duty of 100%. In this instance
the dumping duty was eventually refunded after the Rope
Company had supplied the Commissioner of Customs at
Ottawa with full information regarding their cost and
selling prices etc., but the damage had been done and
since then the Company has not been able to negotiate
further business in Canada owing to the fear in the
minds of their buyers that similar arbitrary action may
be taken by the Canadian Customs in respect of future
shipments.
11.
The Canadian Trade Commissi ner in Hong Kong
was approached unofficially by the Commission for his
views in this matter. He informed the Commission that
the above incident originated in the fact that the con-
signment had entered Canada via U.S.A. He stated
further that Canada was anxious to increase trade with
Hong Kong and was sensible of the fact that she received
certain preferences in this Colony. While he was
unable to guarantee that the Canadian Government might
not alter their policy he said that he had been informed
that the imposition of dumping duties had been abandoned,
and he had no reason to believe that the Hong Kong Rope
Company would meet with any similar obstruction in the
future.