NON-FICTION LITERATURE

Evening Star, Issue 23492, 5 February 1940, Page 3

NON-FICTION LITERATURE

IMPORT RESTRICTIONS RELAXED [Pan United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 3. Details of a proposal adopted as a) means of ensuring tliut public and university libraries are able to arrange the importation of their full 1 requirements of non-fiction literature wer* made available to-day by the Minister of Customs, Mr Nash. “ When it was found necessary to restrict the importation of printed books and periodicals during the first sis months of 1940 in order to . assist the conservation of sterling funds,” Mr Nash said, “ it was realised that booksellers might be under some difficulty in supplying the full requirements of public and university libraries. It has, therefore, been decided to provide certain additional licenses for the importation of non-fiction books and periodical# to meet the .needs of these libraries, and advantage has been taken of the facilities offered by the Country Library Service to ensure that the funds made available for this purpose will be used to the best advantage. “ With regard to fiction,” the Minister added, “it is expected that? libraries will be able to arrange for tha importation of their requirements undei; licensee already granted to booksellers* The .scheme covering non-fiction provides that a library wishing to placo «n order with a bookseller for the importation of _ non-fiction literature will forward particulars of the order in tho first instance to the officer in charge of the Country Library Service at Wellington, whose function it will be to make a recommendation to the Customs regarding the granting of an import license. The aim will ho to eliminate duplicate buying where this would'ho wasteful and so ensure that tho funds available are used in the besf possible way,”