XN000022-1976-05-21 — Page 7

FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1976

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DUTY FOR METHYL ALCOHOL PROPOSED

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THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO RE-IMPOSE A DUTY ON METHYL ALCOHOL AS A FINANCIAL DISINCENTIVE FOR ITS USE IN VIEW OF LAST YEAR'S OUTBREAK OF METHYL ALCOHOL POISONING CAUSING THE DEATH OF A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

A BILL TO THIS EFFECT WAS PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE. KNOWN AS THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976, IT WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY. IF ENACTED, A RATE OF DUTY AT $9.90 PER GALLON WILL BE IMPOSED ON METHYL ALCOHOL AND THAT AN ADDITIONAL RATE OF 40 CENTS FOR EVERY ONE PER CENT BY WHICH THE ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH BY VOLUME EXCEEDS 25 PER CENT.

HOWEVER, IF PURE METHYL ALCOHOL IS USED TO TEST AIRCRAFT ENGINES AN EXEMPTION FROM DUTY MAY BE GRANTED.

COMMENTING ON THE BILL, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE KNOW OF NO OTHER INDIVIDUAL END USERS WHO REQUIRE METHYL ALCOHOL IN SUCH LARGE QUANTITIES AS TO MAKE ITS USE PROHIBITIVE BY REASON OF THE RE-IMPOSITION OF DUTY.

+ IF THERE WERE, THEY COULD PROBABLY USE LESS TOXIC SUBSTANCES SUCH AS BUTYL ALCOHOL OR ETHYL ALCOHOL.

+THE LATTER IS EXEMPT FROM DUTY IF IT IS DENATURED BY MEANS OF AN APPROVED DENATURANT AND CERTIFIED IN WRITING AS SUCH BY THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST,+ HE ADDED.

THE BILL ALSO CONTAINS AN AMENDMENT TO THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE BY MAKING IT AN OFFENCE TO EXPOSE FOR SALE OR TO POSSESS FOR SALE ANY ADULTERATED LIQUOR.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE PENALTY, WHERE ADULTERATED LIQUOR IS FOUND TO BE INJURIOUS TO HEALTH, BE INCREASED FROM 12 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS IMPRISONMENT.

THE SPOKESMAN RECALLED THAT THE PREVIOUS OCCASION WHERE A DUTY WAS IMPOSED ON METHYL ALCOHOL WAS IN 1957 FOLLOWING AN OUTBREAK OF METHYL ALCOHOLIC POISONING.

AS NO FURTHER OUTBREAKS OF METHYL ALCOHOL POISONING HAD BEEN REPORTED IN THE FOLLOWING 15 YEARS THE DUTY WAS REMOVED IN 1972.

IN 1974, METHYL ALCOHOL WAS REMOVED ENTIRELY FROM THE SCOPE OF THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE, BUT IMPORT CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED.

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