The Press FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1958. Import Controls

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28529, 7 March 1958, Page 6

The Press FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1958. Import Controls

An import selection policy such as that introduced by the Labour Government is bound to be difficult to implement, particularly when it has been too hastily framed. Already, New Zealanders are discovering how these controls will affect their daily needs. The latest commodity of which a shortage is predicted is table salt. Each year, the Dominion imports £> 100,000 worth of domestic salt, nine-tenths of it iodised. Now the Government proposes to cut imports to £50,000 worth. Mr W. A. Innes, chairman of a group of British salt companies, predicts that, because iodised salt is more expensive, importers under the Quota system will buy plain salt in preference to it. According to Mr Innes, it is “ quite out pf “ question ” to produce iodised salt in New Zealand. No-one can claim that iodised salt is a luxury. Use of it has been extraordinarily beneficial in reducing the disturbing incidence of goitre in this country; and it would be tragic if the good achieved during the last 25 years was nullified by parsimony in cutting essential imports. The value of iodised salt to public health was established in 1950 by a survey made in South Canterbury and North Otago schools by Dr. M. A. T. Tolley, of the Health Department. The area was chosen because similar investigations were made there in 1925 by Sir Charles Hercus. In 1925. the incidence of goitre was 62 per cent., but in 1950 it.was 25 per cent.; in 1925. more than twothirds of the goitres in boys and more than three-quarters of' the goitres in girls had passed the intipient stage, but

in 1950 less than 4 per cent, of goitres in girls and boys had developed comparably; and in 1950, gross goitrous deformities were wholly absent. lodised salt was used by at least 80 per cent, of the children in the area, and this was the only apparent reason for the decline in the incidence of goitre. Dr. Tolley concluded that “25 years’ use “of iodised salt has entirely “altered the goitre picture for “ South Canterbury ”. To restrict in any way the use of such a valuable commodity is stupid. The annual report of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation complained that “no move “ has been made by the Govern- “ ment to consult the federation “in any way to ascertain “ whether the cuts in imports “. . . will result in unreasonable “ shortages Commenting on the buoyancy of retail trade in recent months, the report refered to retailers’ “ knowledge “that the boom will inevitably “be followed by shortages, “ trade dislocation, and un- “ profitable business ” he danger of ill-considered decisions is that so much damage can be done before they are revised; and revision is sometimes unduly delayed. ' An example of delay is the Government’s handling of protests against the heavy reduction of banana imports. It is now eight weeks since the Governor of Fiji (Sir Ronald Garvey) protested to the New Zealand Government, and no satisfactory answer has been given. When the controls were reimposed, it was obvious that ’difficulties would be encountered. We are now beginning to understand how awkward some of them will be.