Import Control

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28935, 1 July 1959, Page 7

Import Control

Sir, —A close relative in England generously decided to make me .the gift of a marine outboard mojor, to supply the power for a boat that I contemplate building. He supplied me with literature concerning the engine, which, together with his letter offering me the motor, I took to the local Collector of Customs. I was given a form to cbinplete (seven copies) and a declaration to Sign affirming that I Would not re-Bell the. thing for. two years without prior customs’ permission. This done, X was told to await.. a« outcome. This arrived a fortnight lateh Alas' Somewdywon office had dMided that a regulation existed to deny mv father sin-law the pleasure of giving me the engine and to frustrate my plan to build it into my boat. My relative is an Englishman living in England and intending to use English pounds to buy the motor, thus entailing the use of no New Zealand currency. Could greater depths of interference be reached?—Yours, etc.,

May 28, 1959. [The Minister of Customs (Mr R. Boord) replies: “Following a recent review of our overseas funds position the Government has found it possible to make provision for commercial imports of outboard motors, and my department will now accept applications for their importation based on *no remittance’ funds held overseas by private individuals. Under the provision of the ‘no remittance’ scheme, licences are granted only for the importation of goods which are available to the general public under the provisions of the remittance scheme applying to commercial imports. This policy has been followed for many years in an endeavour to preserve some measure of equity between those persons who have access to overseas funds and those who have not.”]