CONTROL OF IMPORTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 212, 23 June 1950, Page 2

CONTROL OF IMPORTS

VIEWS OF ASSOCIATED CHAMBER

PROPOSALS MADE TO COMMISSION

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. June 22. Evidence presented in a statement by the Associated Chambers of Commerce this afternoon to the Import Licensing Commission included suggestions for the remedying of what the chamber saw as weaknesses in the present licensing system. Some of these remedies, it said, could be applied immediately.

The statement said that a final solution of the import licensing problem could be achieved only by lifting import and exchange control. It was recognised, however, that the shortage of overseas funds precluded the immediate adoption of such a course. "What could be done immediately was to free as many items as possible from control, with a limit fixed to the aggregate amount of exchange to be made available against imports of decontrolled items. The Associated Chambers said that there had been no appeal authortiy beyond the Minister of Customs to review import licensing decisions. They said they looked to the committee <?r proposed Board of Trade “to set up or recommend” such an authority. Changes Sought The chambers also asked that block licences should be issued covering related classes of goods instead of the , present system of issuing licences on detailed items. The import licensing schedule should be issued at least four months before the qpening of the period to which it relates. They added that reasons should be given by the authorities (except in special cases) wjiy licences are refused. The chambers said that secrecy in the refusal of licences caused frustration and indicated a lack of justice even if justice had indeed been done. There should also be complete and immediate publication in the newspapers of amendments to the schedule,. The chambers complained that some of this information never became generally known, some was insufficient, and some delayed. Applications should be more carefully examined. Under the present system licences were issued to other than regular traders, with the result that later in the licensing period regular traders discovered that the allocation had been used up. Regard should be given to the fact that because monetary values had changed since 1938, importers whose licences had been based on that year were at a disadvantage compared with those to whom licences had been issued subsequently. Fixing of Dates Consideration should be given to the feasibility* of fixing deadline dates for using the exchange authority instead of for using the import licence. The fixing of deadline arrival dates for goods to qualify for the current licensing schedule caused cong-estion* at overseas and New Zealand ports. The chambers asked for the determination of those import items on which control needs to be retained apd the freeing from import licensing and exchange control of the items remaining, particularly within the sterling , area. There should also be a reduction of control on different items , to reduce undue delay, and the grouping of items remaining under control, The tariff system, which was a proper instrument fdr reasonable trade protection, should he used instead, of the import conti-ol system, and there should be an early release of figures about national stocks of commodities.