IMPORT CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 91, 19 April 1939, Page 5

IMPORT CONTROL

ELECTRICAL GOODS

SHORTAGE FEARED

"It seems strange that the Government which supplies most of the electric power consumed in New Zealand should at the same time be placing a limit on the business it will be able to do in the future by restricting the importation of electrical appliances," said the manager of one of the largest electrical firms in Wellington in an interview with "The Post" yesterday. He said that a shortage of electrical refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and ranges was already in sight and that unless the restrictions were eased in the near future there would be a general shortage of appliances.

His firm had also experienced considerable difficulty over the importation of electric lamps. The position was that it imported heavily at the end of 1937, and its imports for the first half of last year consequently had been light. Yet its licence had been limited to last year's figures. It had naturally appealed, but did not yet know what the outcome would be.

Another difficulty caused by the import regulations was in tendering. Any firm that had imported heavily last year to fill a special contract was in an almost unassailable position as a tenderer this y^ar, because rival tenderers would not be able to guarantee to supply the goods.

"It would have been very much simpler and better if, when the Government decided to ration imports, it had simply coi»e along to us and, having ascertained, for example, how much we imported from England last year, simply said: 'This year you may spend only £75 for every £100 you spent last year,'" he added. "This would have avoided the pin-pricking and irksome delays associated with the present system and would have been infinitely more satisfactory to importers."

Another importer said it seemed to be the policy of the Government to give full protec+'on to anyone who came along and said he could manufacture certain goods in the Dominion, regardless of whether that manufacturer could adequately supply the market or whether the quality of his product was satisfactory. No one could quarrel with any endeavour to build up the Dominion's secondary industries provided quality and price were not seriously affected, but there were certain classes of New Zealand-made electrical goods that were definitely below standard.