BOOK IMPORTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 94, 14 January 1939, Page 10

BOOK IMPORTS

Report Of Conference With

Minister

REASON FOR CONTROL A conference of representatives of the Associated Booksellers of New Zealand and the New Zealand Libraries Association with the Minister of Customs, Mr. Nash, concerning import restrictions is the subject of a report in this mouth’s issue of “New Zealand Libraries.”

The deputation waited on the Minister, the journal states, with a view to obtaining his assent to excluding books, •periodicals and newspapers from the operation of the Import Control Regulations, 1038. The exclusion of books was sought under clause 4 of the Regulations on the ground (a) that books are a necessity! (t>) that the annual value of books imported is relatively small, (c) that no local industry would be protected if books were included within the scope of the Regulations. The Minister, in reply, made it plain that so many commodities could be regarded as necessities that exclusion on this ground was not possible. The annual value of literature imported could amount to quite 2 per cent, of total imports. The primary purpose of the regulations was not to encourage New Zealand secondary industries, though that was a necessary corollary. The Government was faced with the necessity of restricting payments for imports to the value of sterling credits available in London if wages were not to be cut or employment work reduced. In this way the Government intended to meet its commitments. It would be necessary for- each importer, when applying for a licence, to set out the value of the- books, etc., imported during each half of 1938, and the value of the books intended to be imported during the corresponding six months during 1939. It would be advisable to concentrate on the importation of literature necessary to the community and which could not be produced -locally. In conclusion, the Minister intimated that he would be- pleased, at any time, to discuss with those present any difficulties that might arise and which concerned matters of policy, and that the local Customs officers would be pleased to assist importers in matters other than those directly affected by the policy of the Government. At present importers of books by book post are not included in the operation of the regulations, and accordingly librarians who generally import through local booksellers will not, as a rule, require to obtain licences under the regulations. MR. SAVAGE’S APPEAL Trades Council Pledges Support

The appeal of the Prime Minister through the New Zealand Federation of Labour to the whole of the trades union movement to assist the Government to implement its policy of increasing industrial production was unanimously supported at a meeting of the Wellington Trades Council this week. Ninety delegates attended the meeting, representing approximately 35,000 workers. Mr. F. P. Walsh presided. The following resolution, was adopted : “This meeting of tlie Wellington Trades Council expresses its complete confidence in the Prime Minister and his Ministry and offers its closest cooperation in its great work on behalf of the people of New Zealand. Realizing that the standard of living, including wages, hours of labour and conditions of employment depend on the volume of goods and service produced in the country, we pledge ourselves wholeheartedly to support the Government’s plan for maintaining and increasing—as the increase in wealth production permits—the standard of living of the people of the Dominion. To this end, we further pledge ourselves to point out to industrial workers and employers, manufacturers and citizens geenrally, the imperative need for greater efficiency in industrial operation with a view to increased production as the only basis of an adequate standard of living.”