WARTIME IMPORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 14, 17 January 1941, Page 6

WARTIME IMPORTS

(To the Editor.)

Sir _With regard to your subleader on Wednesday commenting upon the latest reply made by the.Minister of Customs regarding delayed arrivals of goods ordered under third and fourth period licences, it might be considered appropriate to publish the viewpoint of my principals in England, when making; their reply, dated November 8, 1940, to my cable indicating the importance of the dispatch of goods ordered. It reads. , as follows:—

"In your cable of November 2 you state that it is imperative orders 4270, 4287. and 4411 arrive in New Zealand not later than December 31, 1940. Our cabled reply to this was that all the goods had been sent down to the docks at the end of October. From this message you would probably understand our inference was that* although they ha^J been sent down to the docks, we had no proof that they had been shipped up to the time of our cable. You will understand that when our docks and harbours are being 'bumped' daily, it has^a tendency to impede the smooth working of business. We expect that the generosity which we believe characterises New Zealanders in general will compel your Government to.stretch a point should the goods in question arrive a little behind December 31."

An extract from another letter dated October 15, 1940, reads:— ■

"I have to acknowledge your letter dated September 13, 1940, drawing our attention to the absolute necessity of getting goods delivered to you before the fourth period licence expires at the e^nd of this year. I was pleased tr. find that the great majority of orders referred to was well on the way at the time your letter was dispatched, and I think you can take it for granted that practically the whole of the goods on order which are required- by the date specified, namely, the end of this year, will be safely in your hands by then. A boat is leaving at the end of this week and we hope to get the remains on this. You will understand, of course, that we are not permitted to give the names of boats or the port of sailing. It is quite probable that under existing conditions a few packages may be short shipped, but in this connection I would like you to understand that it is unavoidable. We do not know when the next opportunity will be available, but we can be relied upon to get our fair share of space on any boat that is sailing."— I am, etc.,

NOT UNDERSTOOD.