IMPORT CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 160, 1 April 1939, Page 10

IMPORT CONTROL

Some Second Period Licences Out MORE DRASTIC CUTS Shortage Of Goods Likely In September From second ' period import licences issued in Wellington so far, it appears that the Government’s policy is to cut foreign importations even more drastically than in the January-June half of the year. Restrictions on many British lines are also being extended.

Most of the retail and smaller importing firms are still waiting to know how they will fare in the July-Decem-ber period, but some large 'warehouses have .received up to about two-thirds of their licences. The manager of one warehouse said yesterday that restrictions on foreign lines amounted practically to prohibition in most eases.

“The difficulty is obvious,” he said. “Th* Government still has not enough overseas funds to pay for imports. The procedure that is being followed, however, is making things worse. The commercial community is in a state of uncertainty and is unable to organize ahead.

“There are ample stocks in New Zealand for the winter season so far as the drapery trade is concerned. The pinch will come next September. In the grocery trade, where ordering is done from month to month, instead of from season to season it may ’ come earlier.”

He said that his application for licences to import shirts, collars and pyjamas from the United Kingdom had been refused entirely. In the first period, imports of these lines had been cut 50 per cent, on those for the corresponding period of the previous year.

He gave the following comparison of cuts imposed in other I hies, all of them

No reply had yet been received to applications for licences to import madeuip clothing, hosiery, cigarettes and tobacco.

The speaker added that he understood that other warehouses had received the same treatment as his firm. Other importers, still awaiting second period licences, said yesterday that in the meantime their business was a a standstill, because they had already disposed of all that they had been allowed to import in the first half of the year.

POLICY FOR SECOND HALF OF YEAR

Announcement Shortly A statement that he hoped to make an announcement within a short time concerning the Government’s policy of import regulation for the second half of tlie present year was made yesterday by the Minister of Customs, Mr. Nash.

STOCKS DESTROYED IN FIRE

Fresh Licences Wanted Tire hope that tlie Government would immediately grant import licences tor goods to replace those destroyed in the fire on Tuesday night was expressed by several former tenants of A'ictoria House yesterday. Requests for such action have already been made to tlie Minister of Customs, Mr. Nash, but it is understood that so far no reply lias been received. Tlie manager of Alex Cowan and Sons Ltd.. Mr. AV. 11. Preston, whose firm lost £4OOO to £5OOO worth of paper iu tlie fire, said that he had raised tlie question with tire Customs Department, which had been unable to give any undertaking. He had then written to the Minister. “Paper is the raw material required for manufacturing commercial stationery used in every type of business, and it is absolutely essential that we should have fresh supplies immediately,” he said. Another importer said that if he were not allowed a licence to import further stocks lie would be deprived of Iris only source of livelihood.

British :— First Second period period cut. cut. Toilet preparations .. 25% 50% Haberdashery 30% 40% Woollen piece goods 40% 40% Cotton piece goods ... No cut No cut