BARTER DEAL REPORT

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28661, 11 August 1958, Page 10

BARTER DEAL REPORT

Statement By Minister (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 10 “No instances of the hawking of licences have been referred to me,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Holloway* commenting on a report from Auckland that, as a result of a barter deal with Czechoslovakia, import licences were being hawked by traders at a 20 per cent premium. Mr Holloway said that, arising from the urgent need to find new markets, there had been various proposals put to him for special trading arrangements, involving in many cases some degree of what could be described as a bartei deal. In general, this type of trading did not accord with New Zealand practice and involved some obvious difficulties. At the time, the Government was prepared to explore every avenue for the development of export trade and opening of new markets, so long as present international agreements and obligations were not contravened. - “There have been discussions oh the possibility of a special arrangement with Czechoslovakia as a result of a proposal for tne development of additional exports of New Zealand products, but no arrangement has so far been concluded,” said Mr Holloway “Con sequently, no special licences of this type have been issued. “I would suggest that those Auckland Chamber of Commerce members who have made unconditional statements that such licences were being hawked at a premium give details of sucn transactions, because I do not believe Auckland businessmen are so gullible as to pay a premium for nothing. “On the other hand,” he added, “any licences available for imports from non-scheduled sources can, in the ordinary course, be used for goods from Czechoslovakia without any restriction, and it is possibly in relation to such normal licences that the malpractices alleged have occurred. “In this case, detailed information to the Government concerning such practices will enable them to be halted forthwith.”

Consul-General’s Comment (New Zeaiana Press Association) WELLINGTON. August 10 The acting Consul-General of the Czechoslovakian Legation in Wellington (Mr J. Janak) denied that a “barter deal” had been made between New Zealand and Czechoslovakia. Mr Janak said: “There has been no agreement signed or reached between New Zealand and Czechoslovakia —no special licences have been issued.” There are two Christmas Islands —one a British possession in the Indian Ocean, the other a huge atoll among the Line Islands of the Central Pacific. Both islands were christened by homesick marines who sighted them at Yuletide.