SUPPLY DIFFICULTY FORESEEN: M.P. COMPLAINS OF DELAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 October 1948, Page 2

SUPPLY DIFFICULTY FORESEEN: M.P. COMPLAINS OF DELAY

(ftA.) WELLINGTON, October 19. Although there had been no prosecutions there had been some flagrant instances of ordering by importers of goods without having first obtained ah import licence, said the Minister of Finance (Mt Nash) in the House Of Representatives today. He was answering Mt C. M. Bowden (Opposition, Karori),, Who asked if the Minister realised how difficult it would be for manufacturers to obtain raw materials to keep their workers employed in the early portion of the year if the release of the import licence schedule was de-

layed until October 19 and licences were not received until November. Mr Bowden said several months were normally required for the fabrication or production of many raw materials, and shipping delays often involved several months. Did the Minister m these circumstances think it reasonable to warn manufacturers not to place orders in anticipation, under danger of having penalties imposed on them under,thc Customs Act. Mr Nash, in his reply, said it .was entirely reasonable to advise people, as he had done, not to break the law. Manufacturers ought not to order goods to come into New Zealand in breach of the law lest they had to pay the penalties under the law. There had been some flagrant breaches at the expense of those reasonable and conscientious importers who waited for the receipt of tVipii* * Tire Minister said some goods that had > been ordered were how lying on the'Wharves in New Zealand, although no licences for their importation had been issued. To allow the importers of these goods to profit would put lawabidihg importers at a disadvantage. The Minister said there would .be two months longer next year for bringing, in goods, and what had been done this year in building up import schedules 'would be beneficial to im-t porters and manufacturers alike.