IMPORTED ARTICLES

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 89, 14 April 1917, Page 9

IMPORTED ARTICLES

EXPLANATION OF REGULATIONS.

A MISAPPREHENSION REMOVED,

An - explanation of the , regulations gazetted on 16th March, 1917, regarding the importation of goods was < made by, Mr. H; Vickery, secretary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, at th« meeting of the executive yesterday afternoon. Mr., Vickery stated that in view of the misapprehension which existed regarding the regulations, .he had mads enquiries of the Munitions and Supplies Department as to the position. He had been informed that the notification did not alter what has been the practice ■for the past two years, namely, that importers of certain; articles, the export of which can only be obtained from the United Kingdom under license, have first to apply to the Minister for Munitions for approval of the^ order. Before the notification came into force, what happened was that the order was' enquired into by the experts advising, the Department and the Advisory Board, who made their, recommendation to the Ministers The Minister then forwarded his recommendation to the Home authorities. The last notification intimated that the Minister of Munitions in New Zealand became (at the request of the Ministry of Munition's in the United Kingdom) the final authority to grant comparatively all orders. The class of goods affected was chiefly engineering supplies, machinery, \and explosives. "■■', It was not necessary for orders: for, such articles as soft goods or glassware •to be' submitted.

"I am informed," added Mr. Vickery, "that the Minister, for Munitions- is prepared at all times to assist importers and others to obtain product&.or manufactures from the United Kingdom where it can be shown to him that it will be impossible to get them direct arid wher* such articles are essential to the industries or to the producers in NewZca« land." ■'. ■ ' ■ '-, . '.;■■'■ ''■'..;■.'.'"'.