1942 SCHEDULE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 172, 23 July 1941, Page 8

1942 SCHEDULE

EFFECTS OF WAR NATIONAL ECONOMY DRAIN ON OVERSEAS FUNDS Details of allocations for licenses to import goods in 1942 were announced from Wellington to-day by the Minister of Customs, the Hon. Walter Nash. In making his announcement, the Minister stated that provision was being made at this stage, in consideration of representations made by manufacturers who, in view of the difficulty and delays being experienced in obtaining goods, more particularly from the 1 nited Kingdom, but also from other countries, desired the opportunity to place orders for materials overseas as soon as possible in order to ensure that supplies would be available when required in 1942. "The Government is anxious to assist manufacturers in this connection as far as circumstances will permit." added Mr. Nash, "but licenses must be related to funds available and, in view of the uncertainty attaching to our export trade underexisting conditions, it would be appreciated that any allocations now made as a charge against funds likely to become available in 1942, but of which no reliable estimate can at present be made, must be kept within reasonable limits. "The urgent necessity under existing conditions to cut down our imports to an absolute minimum will, I think, be generally recognised," said Mr. Nash. "The Mother Country has appealed to us most strongly to economise to the utmost in order that the smallest possible drain might be made on the resources available for prosecution of the war. There should be no necessity to stress the vital need for this." The Minister said that, apart from the charges in the form of interest on overseas loans and similar transactions, normally to be met from the funds likely to become available, there would be heavy additional commitments in respect of imports by the State for defence purposes. Provision was also necessary to meet some of the costs of maintenance of our forces overseas. This Year's Imports Licenses issued for imports during the present year, said Mr. Nash, had exceeded the amount for which it had been proposed to issue licenses, but it was known that, in view of the difficulty now met in obtaining certain classes of goods overseas, a considerable portion of the licenses would not come to charge prior to the end of the year. "The whole position has been carefully considered," continued Mr. Nash, "and it has been decided that, in the circumstances the best course to take is to extend 1941 .licenses into- 1942 and to make such additional allocation for 1942 as conditions will permit. "The 1941 licenses will be valid for imports up to June 30, 1942, but not later. It is possible that in certain cases it might be found impossible under existing conditions to obtain the goods for which a license has been granted. In such cases it is particularly desired that the licenses should be surrendered immediately the position is known in order that as complete a record as possible may te had of the licenses in respect of which it is necessary to provide funds." Replacement of Goods _ "In respect of a small number of items, it has been necessary as a result of no separate allocation having been provided in 1940 for the particular goods in question, or for some other reason, to 'relate the allocation for 1942 to licenses granted in 1941," said Mr. Nash. "Where this has been done the schedule is noted accordingly, together with any other variations. It should be understood that the allocations granted during 1940 or 1941, as the case may be, on which the 1942 allocations are based, will exclude allocations granted in consideration of some special condition such as 'No remittance,' 'Deferred payment' or- 'Replacement of goods lost.' "Owing to complications arising out of the difficult supply position due to the war it is not possible to give any general permission for the transfer of authorisations from one country to another. Requests for any such transfer will require to be considered individually. Where transfer was permitted in 1940 or 1941, basic allocation for 1942 will be granted only for the country in respect of which the license was originally granted in 1940 or 1941. "I would like to repeat," added Mr. Nash, "that these allocations are being provided at the present time for the express purpose of enabling orders to be placed overseas, more particularly in the United Kingdom, in order to give reasonable prospect of the goods being delivered in 1942. "It is not intended that the licenses should be utilised to arrange for imports prior to 1942 and it is not desired that that should be done as it may involve a charge on our funds this year which might give rise to some difficulty." Stating that the issue of further licenses for the fifth period (year 1941) would cease as from the end of the present month, Mr. Nash said that in urgent cases special consideration would be given to applications for licenses to obtain goods at present unavailable and which were vital and essential to the maintenance of the life of the Dominion.