History
The New Zealand Customs service is the oldest government department in New Zealand. Formed on January 5, 1840, it pre-dates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Its early establishment was necessary to collect revenue for the fledgling Government, and over the years duties, tariffs and taxes collected by Customs have remained a major source of revenue for the country, although customs has also been used to impose various control over the movement of people and the distribution of particular products, in particular alcohol and tobacco. In 1997 the New Zealand Customs Department was renamed the New Zealand Customs Service.
Read more about this topic: New Zealand Customs Service
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.”
—Henry James (1843–1916)
““And now this is the way in which the history of your former life has reached my ears!” As he said this he held out in his hand the fatal letter.”
—Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)
“A poet’s object is not to tell what actually happened but what could or would happen either probably or inevitably.... For this reason poetry is something more scientific and serious than history, because poetry tends to give general truths while history gives particular facts.”
—Aristotle (384–323 B.C.)