TRADE AGREEMENT (SOUTHERN RHODESIA).

No. 10 of 1941.

An Act to approve an Agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of Southern Rhodesia.

[Assented to 7th April, 1941.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1.  This Act may be cited as the Trade Agreement (Southern Rhodesia) Act 1941.

Commencement.

2.  This Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by Proclamation.

Approval of Agreement.

3.  The Agreement entered into between His Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia and His Excellency the Governor of Southern Rhodesia, on behalf of the Government of Southern Rhodesia (a copy of which Agreement is set forth in the Schedule to this Act) is hereby approved.

THE SCHEDULE.

—

TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND SOUTHERN RHODESIA.

His Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia and His Excellency the Governor of Southern Rhodesia, on behalf of the Government of Southern Rhodesia, being desirous of improving and extending the commercial relations existing between Australia and Southern Rhodesia, and affirming the principle of granting tariff preferences the one to the other on goods the produce or manufacture of their respective territories, have agreed upon the following Articles:—

E. J. H.

F. E. H.

Article I.

In this Agreement and the Schedules hereto—

(a) the expressions “Australian Customs Tariff” and “Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff” shall, in relation to any goods, be deemed to mean the Australian Customs Tariff or Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff in force on the date on which such goods are entered for home consumption in Australia or Southern Rhodesia, as the case may be;

(b) the expression “British Preferential Tariff” shall, in relation to any goods, be deemed to mean the British Preferential Tariff of Australia in force on the date on which such goods are entered for home consumption in Australia: and

(c) the expression “Column ‘C’ of the Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff” shall, in relation to any goods, be deemed to mean the rates of duty imposed under Column ‘C’ of the Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff in force on the date on which such goods are entered for home consumption in Southern Rhodesia.

E. J. H.

F. E.H.

Article II.

(1)   Goods enumerated in Schedule ‘A’ to this Agreement, produced or manufactured in Australia shall, on importation into Southern Rhodesia, be admitted free of Customs Duty.

(2)     Goods enumerated in Schedule ‘B’ to this Agreement, produced or manufactured in Australia shall, on importation into Southern Rhodesia, be admitted at the rates of Customs Duty imposed on like goods under Column ‘C’ of the Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff, subject to a preferential rebate from such rates to the extent shown opposite each item.

(3)   Goods enumerated in Schedule ‘C’ to this Agreement produced or manufactured in Australia shall, on importation into Southern Rhodesia, be admitted at the rates of Customs Duty imposed on like goods under Column ‘C’ of the Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff.

E.J. H.

F.E. H.

Article III.

In the event of the Government of Southern Rhodesia granting permits for the importation into Southern Rhodesia of wheat in the grain or wheat flour in commercial quantities from any other country, with the exception of Northern Rhodesia, at rates of Customs Duty lower than those accorded under this Agreement to like goods of Australian produce or manufacture, similar treatment will be accorded to like products of Australian produce or manufacture.

E. J. H.

F. E. H.

Article IV.

(1)   Unmanufactured tobacco covered by Tariff Item 19 of the Australian Customs Tariff, the produce of Southern Rhodesia shall, on importation into Australia, be accorded a preferential rate nine pence per lb. lower than the rate of duty payable under the British Preferential Tariff.

(2)   Raw asbestos and chrome ore the produce of Southern Rhodesia on importation into Australia shall be admitted free of Primage Duty and shall not be subjected to any Duties of Customs higher than those applicable to raw asbestos and chrome ore the produce of any other country.

E. J. H.

F. E. H

The Schedule—continued.

Article V.

For the purposes of this Agreement, goods shall be deemed to be the produce or manufacture of Australia or Southern Rhodesia, as the case may be, if conforming, with respect to the proportion of home production therein, with the laws or regulations in force from time to time in the country of importation which apply to such goods when imported under its British Preferential Tariff.

E. J. H.

F. E. H.

Article VI.

This Agreement shall be subject to the approval of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Parliament of Southern Rhodesia. Upon approval being given it shall be brought into force on a date to be mutually agreed upon and shall remain in force until the expiration of six months from the date on which either Government shall have given to the other notice in writing of its intention to terminate the Agreement.

Signed on behalf of His Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia.

E. J. HARRISON

Minister of State for Trade and Customs.

Canberra, 23rd December, 1940.

Signed on behalf of the Government of Southern Rhodesia.

H. J. STANLEY

Governor of Southern Rhodesia.

Salisbury, February 25th, 1941.

Initialled on behalf of the Government of Southern Rhodesia.

F. E. HARRIS

Minister of Agriculture and Lands of

Southern Rhodesia.

Canberra, 23rd December, 1940.

SCHEDULE “A”.

Goods the Produce or Manufacture of Australia to be Admitted Free of Duty on Importation into Southern Rhodesia.

The Schedule—continued.

E. J. H.

F. E. H.

E. J. H.

F. E. H.

The Schedule—continued.

SCHEDULE “B”.

Rebate from Rates of Duty Levied under Column ‘C’ of the Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff, to be Granted to Goods, the Produce or Manufacture of Australia, on Importation into Southern Rhodesia.

E. J. H.

F. E. H.

SCHEDULE “C”.

Goods, the Produce or Manufacture of Australia, to be Granted the Rates of Duty Levied under Column ‘C’ of the Southern Rhodesian Customs Tariff, on Importation into Southern Rhodesia.

The Schedule—continued.

E. J. H.

P. E. H.