CUSTOMS PROCEDURE Oral Declarations By Air Travellers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31223, 22 November 1966, Page 3

CUSTOMS PROCEDURE Oral Declarations By Air Travellers

(A’ew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 21. Written Customs declarations by air passengers arriving in New Zealand will be abolished next year in a move to reduce airport formalities. They will make an oral declaration to Customs officers.

Nearly 200.000 air passengers arrived in New Zealand last year and this figure is expected to double in five years, according to the Customs Department.

“The decision will be welcomed by the airlines who have consistently advocated the introduction of an oral baggage declaration and by passengers.” the Minister of Customs (Mr Shelton) said today. Mr Shelton said because of the vital responsibility the Department of Agriculture had in preventing the introduction of animal and plant diseases and pests, passengers would still be required to complete in writing a brief “yes-no” questionnaire and

form of declaration for agricultural purposes. He said the Customs Department was examining the application of oral baggage declarations for passengers arriving by ship “but as there are substantially different factors involved in the application of this method to sea travellers, further study is required to determine whether there would be any real advantage in’this procedure for sea travellers.”