ISSUE OF LICENCES IN WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 10

ISSUE OF LICENCES IN WELLINGTON

Hopes For Completion By End Of Week

DELUGE OF APPEALS AGAINST QUOTAS

Wellington importers who have not received their licences are still marking time, though their concern at the delay in forwarding their orders has in no wav diminished. Hopes are entertained that most of the applications for licences at present in the hands of the Collector of Customs in Wellington, Mr. R. J. Gray, will have been dealt with by the end ol this week. A statement to that effect was made yesterday bj' Mr. Gray, who said that importers., would have a much clearer idea of what the regulations meant, when the majority of the licences were issued. Mr. Gray emphasized that the department had been tremendously busy working both day and night dealing with the applications, which had totalled several thousands. Each one had to be checked and the permit had to be written out and typed. . Almost as comprehensive in their detail as the applications for licences have been the appeals against the quotas imposed, which have been pouring into the Wellington office of the Customs Department, and which are being forwarded to head office for consideration by the Minister of Customs. It is understood that similar large numbers of appeals have been received from all over New Zealand, and that the head office of the department is “snowed under” with them. Accumulating Time-Lag. Importers are particularly concerned, at the accumulating time-lag due to their orders being held up. Those still awaiting their licences for the first half of 1939 point out that actually they should at. this stage be placing their orders for the second half. Business could not afford to be at a standstill, and doubts were held whether New Zealand manufacturing industries could increase their production quickly enough to enable any shortage of supplies resulting from the time-lag to be made up. Referring to statements that New Zealand had been over-importing, a leading importer of soft goods said yesterday that this had arisen merely as a consequence of the law of supply and demand. Firms were buying more heavily, but they were selling equally fast. His firm was not holding any surplus stocks. What he found most difficult to understand was why the licences for soft goods imports bad been held up so long in Wellington. To describe the delay as most inconvenient was to put it very mildly. Expansion Plans.

Manufacturers generally are refraining from comment till the position becomes more clarified. In the meantime the scheme propounded by the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation to collate information, relating to present industrial production, the ability of local manufacturers to expand that production, extra plant, and raw materials necessary and additional labour required, is being steadily put under way.

It was learned in Wellington yesterday that a number of manufacturers were making preparations for additions to their premises as well as increasing their plant and hands, but no specific details are likely to foe available for a few days. Generally speaking, however, manufacturers are jubilant at the whole position.

Inquiries made in Wellington yesterday showed that the Auckland proposal that the Governor-General should issue a proclamation nullifying the operation of the import regulations did not meet with general approval. It was felt that if redress was to be secured, it should come through the normal channels, the first of which was the provision made under the regulations for appeals against the quotas allowed. Effect on Building Trade. The possible effect of the restrictions on the building trade was commented on by the manager of a firm specializing in builders’ supplies. The licences he had received so far had been limited to the firm’s importations for the first six months of last year Because of the rapid acceleration during the" year of .State housing const ruction, which required the greater amount of the goods his firm desired to import, the demand was now very much heavier than during the firs! half of 1938. Unless those builders’ supplies, which could not he obtained in the Dominion, were allowed in, contractors engaged on State houses would not be able to complete their work. In view of these circumstances, the opinion was expressed that the additional quantities required would be allowed when the facts were placed before the Customs authorities.