IMPORT CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 10

IMPORT CONTROL

EFFECT ON EMPLOYMENT

WELLINGTON POSITION

REPLIES TO INQUIRY

That all-round staff dismissals by Wellington firms affected by import control are likely in the next six months unless the restrictions are relaxed is indicated by replies so far received by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to the questionnaire recently sent out by all Chambers of Commerce and kindred organisations throughout the Dominion as the outcome of a recommendation by the Wellington Chamber. A statement to this effect was/made by the secretary (Mr. E. M. Bardsley) in an interview today. He said that members were responding very freely to the inquiry but that an interim analysis of the many replies received to date would be of such, an incomplete nature as to be of no great value. "However, it is obvious," he said, "that the chief result of the survey, and one which can be definitely taken as a result of the complete survey for Wellington; is that the majority of, merchants, traders, and wholesalers are holding reasonable stocks at the present time and are endeavouring tp retain the services of their staffs as long as possible, but that unless some measure of relaxation of the restrictions is forthcoming before depletion of stocks then the next six months must see very material all-round reduction in staffs."

DEFERRED CREDIT SYSTEM

What are declared to be some of the results that will follow the Government's policy of admitting goods to New Zealand on a deferred payment basis were outlined in the following resolution of protest adopted at a meeting of the Wellington Suburbs branch of the National Party la_t night:—

"This meeting of electors of Wellington Suburbs protests against the announced intention of the Government to permit the importation of goods on a deferred payment basis. It considers that there would have been no need to restrict imports at all if the Government had heeded.the warnings given to it last year; but, having run the country into financial difficulties through its foolhardiness, the Government is now taking an unfair advantage of the people by admitting consumable goods on terms that ; the funds for payment'of these goods- will have to be found with accumulated interest in a few years' time, thereby further increasing the already high cost of living. It commends to the Government the wisdom of playing the game fairly with all sections of the community by getting back to the sound principle of living within its income."