IMPORT LICENSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1940, Page 2

IMPORT LICENSES

MR. NASH’S STATEMENT [per press association.] CHRISTCHURCH, September 21. The fifth period import licenses will be issued next week, said Mr. Nash to-day. The schedules will provide for increases in some commodities, and corresponding reductions in other lines, chiefly luxuries. The Minister said that he had spent the past week in consideration of the schedule. It had been found desirable to make increases in certain lines which were valuable in production, or which were wanted in New Zealand because they were vitally necessary and could not be made here. He could not indicate specifically what type of goods would be affected by the increase. Discussing import control, generally, Mr. Nash said it was due largely to fortuitous circumstances. New Zealand had been able to build up substantial sterling reserves and other overseas credits. Many people believed New Zealand could aid Britain in her war effort by taking more British goods, as well as sending more New Zealand products to Britain, but the truth of the matter was that Britain did not want credits in New Zealand. She wanted them in foreign countries where credits would do more good. “I venture to say that nine out of ten people in New Zealand would want the Dominion to send Britain all she wanted, even if Britain could not pay,” declared the Minister. “We can help Britain by taking imports of commodities of which she has a surplus, but Britain certainly does not want New Zealand to take other products, which could be more effectively disposed of in foreign markets.”