GREAT SURPRISE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 95, 24 April 1939, Page 9

GREAT SURPRISE.

TO MOTOR TRADERS. WELLINGTON'S ATTITUDE. DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.l

WELLINGTON, this day.

"The announcement of the restrictions on imports of motor vehicles came as a great surprise, because negotiations are at present proceeding with the Government on the subject," eaid the New Zealand representative of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Limited, London, Mr. A. W. Hawley. "If the restrictions as they appear in the published schedule are carried out," he said, "several well-known makers of British cars will disappear from the market. There will be a serioue loss to the British export trade, and a consequent decrease in assembly business in New Zealand. The British motor industry, however, it still hopeful the published restrictions will be modified in eonie way."

"The restrictions afe more drastic than could possibly have been anticipated," said the secretary of the New Zealand Importers' Federation, Mr. Russell. "Looking over the published schedule, the number of lines prohibited 100 per cent, strikes one very forcibly." He added that in the meantime he did not wish to make a fuller statement. A national conference of 1000 importers had been held in Wellington in January, and would be fresh in the public mind. A meeting of the federation executive would be held ae soon as possible. Call To Manufactuiers. "As a result of the import restrictions for the second period, there is a call to the manufacturing industries by the people of this Dominion," said the secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, Mr. Rockne O'Shea. A duty is laid on the manufacturers to see that their plant and general organisation are of the highest efficiency. There is a corresponding duty laid on operatives to give the greatest possible output per working hour." "From a preliminary consideration of the new schedule of import restrictions it appears as if there is to be a total prohibition of many lines from the United Kingdom," said the secretary of the United Kingdom Manufacturers' and New Zealand Representatives' Association, Mr. Russell. The restrictions were more severe than had been anticipated, he said, and a general meeting of the association's members would be held early this week to decide on a course of action. Difficult To Understand. Mr. Russell said it was difficult for manufacturers in the United Kingdom to understand any statement that New Zealand had been over-importing, at least from them, for the year ended December 31, 1938. New Zealand exported to the United Kingdom £40,000,000 worth of produce, and imported from the United Kingdom £27,000,000 worth. Allowing for invisible imports of about £10,000,000, there was still a difference of £11,000,000. "Only in the last mail, said Mr. Russell, "we received letters from United Kingdom manufacturers emphasising that British a difficult time, and thattie^ the United Kingdom services.

(jocel opinions Appear 05 Page Tea.)