Importers’ Plan To Banish Controls

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 14

Importers’ Plan To Banish Controls

A five-year plan for the progressive elimination of import licensing on most items still licenced has been advocated by the Bureau of Importers and Exporters.

The bureau believes that too much consideration has been given in the past to small local indus ies which have objected tc the removal of import licensing but which have been able to manufacture only part of an item proposed for exemption. The bureau also believes that too much consideration has been given to small domestic industries working on a spasmodic basis.

The president of the bureau (Mr C. C. McPhail) told the Canterbury branch yesterday ttrt it had been decided to ask the Minister of Customs to make early exemptions from import licensing of all items not produced in New Zealand. The bureau also wants a

more liberal increase from control for all items not proposed for immediate exemption, provided that the New Zealand equiv lent could adequately compete on existing tariffs. It is suggested that from 1974 the Tariff and Development Board start hearings on items still subject to import licensing where the previous hearing was more than two years earlier. The bureau also wants token - licences increased 50 per cent each year until the total reaches 60 per cent of the 1961 licences, after which there should be a 25 per cent increase.

Among the suggested list of articles—animal, vegetable and food products could be exempted from controls after January, 1971, with September -30, 1970, as the last day for objections; similarly, textiles, clothing and footwear could be exempted from July 1, 1972, with April 30, 1972, as the last date for objections.

Items such as chemical products, machinery and wood and paper products could be exempted at intermediate dates. The bureru believes that the dates proposed would allow local manufacturers time to provide recommendations for the replacement of import licensing with tariff protection. Mr McPhail said that it had taken 32 years to remove controls from two-thirds of imported good., and he hoped that it would not take 10 years to remove the last third from controls. The Canterbury branch of the bureau has set up a committee to deal with the effect of import licensing on individual companies. Officers elected were: Messrs G. Adamson (chairman), T. Hyde. I. Baird, G. E. Pilkington, G. A. McPherson and A. A. Mackintosh.