1948 IMPORT LICENCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 133, 17 March 1948, Page 6

1948 IMPORT LICENCES

Retailers Express Concern

REDUCTION OF STOCKS (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, March 16, Grave alarm was felt by the retail trade throughout New Zealand because of the reduction in the 19-18 basic import licences, and the Government's present .attitude in granting very few supplementary licences to importers on the evidence of availability, said a report presented to the conference of the Retailers’ Federation.

“There is no indication that there will be any marked improvement in the near future in deliveries of many locally-manufactured goods,” the report stated. "In many cases the supply position is likely to deteriorate until it becomes as difficult as at any time since 19-10.

“Because of the granting of many special licences last year, the buying public has recently been able to purchase for the first time since 1940 a reasonable supply of many of the bread-and-butter lines in the retail trade. Because of the drastic cut in import licences for 1948, the supply has been almost completely cut off. “The reserves of stock, which had accumulated in certain lines, are rapidly becoming exhausted,” added the report, “and there is little hope of replenishing them within a reasonable time.

“The trade is utterly at a loss to understand why, in addition to being told that we must live within our income, responsible departments are so definite in their assertions that the main reason why special licences for the importation of many essential lines are being refused is that there are ample stock reserves to meet the public demand for a considerable time. The trade has no hesitation in challenging the Government to inform the public on what grounds this opinion is based.

British Supplies Available

“Retailers have ample evidence that sufficient supplies are available in Britain to relieve the future stock position considerably. “Offers of availability are still being received for many of the lines which are going to be critically short for a considerable period owing to the Government’s present attitude in not granting licences while supplies are procurable overseas. Some of the items which the report stated were likely to be in critical supply if the Government adhered to its present policy included worsted suitings and linings for men’s suits, men’s half-hose and working socks, men’s knitted outer wear, pullovers and cardigans, and underwear, men’s and boys pyjamas, and pyjama material, boys’ school stockings, and boys’ knitted jerseys and pullovers, sheets and sheeting, tea towels, diaper cloth, flannelette, winceyette. and cream baby flannel, blind Holland, linoleum and carpets, gloves of all kinds, ribbons and laces, all crockery including plain everyday cups, saucers and plates, infants’ wear of all typos, men’s, women’s and children’s handkerchiefs, and handkerchief material.