OVERSEAS TRAVEL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 47, 24 January 1939, Page 8

OVERSEAS TRAVEL

MONEY REQUIREMENTS. EXPERIENCE OF BANKS. AUCKLAND, Jan. 23. There is some difference of opinion among banking men as to the working of tile Government’s restrictions on the remittance of moneys overseas. •Most are agreed that the new regulations are working smoothly enough and not causing any serious inconvenience, hut there arc others who anticipate that it will restrict the tourist traffic from the Dominion by hampering the well-to-do type of traveller. The general tendency to “iron out” all applications to one level of expenditure was commented on by several, and the opinion was expressed that the Reserve Bank had a fixed standard for overseas travel, to which all applications were made to conform.

One man charged the controlling authorities with a lack of understanding of the requirements of the different classes of tourists, and said that in some cases the applicants eotdd not possibly live in comfort on the amount allowed them. There had been some petty restrictions on travellers to Australia which would simply mean confining them to second-rate hotels. Such cuts on modest amounts applied lor were irritating. Each application was carefully inquired into by the bank concerned before being recommended for granting, but now the banks’ recommendations were not always being followed. Another bank officer said he had no experience of restrictions that appeared likely to hinder people from going abroad.

At first permits for the sending of money abroad were being granted to cover 12 months, but recently the period has been cut down to six months. It is considered that this will prove a serious inconvenience to those who are contemplating an extended trip aboard. Few definite figures were mentioned by banking men, but one striking ease of restriction is that of a man who proposes to spend six weeks in Australia and applied for ,22.30. lle has been limited to £OO.

The general experience has been that no applications on a modest scale have been interfered with, and that if is onlv those indicating a high standard of living and spending that have been cut.

A representative of a travel agency mentioned the case of a man who had applied for Cl-300 for a 12 months’ tour, and who had been restricted to about £4OO. but it was not clear that this was a final credit for lire whole period.