Mr. Savage’s Outline of Negotiations

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 171, 22 July 1939, Page 5

Mr. Savage’s Outline of Negotiations

Per Association. WELLINGTON, July 21. “During tha past year discussion; have taken place between United Kingdom Ministers and Mr Nash re* garding the principles of New policy of regulating imports and its detailed application to imports from the United Kingdom,” said the Rt. Hon.' M. J. Savage, to-day in the course of a statement on Mr Nash's London negotiations. “The British Ministers recognise that* in the circumstances that existed in New Zealand last December and still; exist, some effective measure for reducing the total imports into New 1 Zealand below their recent abnormally, high level was, and is, inevitable, and they do not raise objections in principle) to the method which the New Zealand Government adopted, though they are conscious of the difficulties it caused in; individual cases. * Mr Savage then explained the circumstances as set down in the British Government’s White Paper. “Mr Nash,” Mr Savage continued, “assured the British Ministers that it was not the intention of the New Zealand Government to employ the import, licensing policy in order to give pro-’ tection to New Zealand industries against the import of United Kingdom goods on a scale which prevented a full opportunity for reasonable competition. He explained that difficulties arose in cases where the New Zealand Government had already incurred obligations by taking action to encourage the establishment of industries which, in the opinion of the New Zea-’ land Government, required some measures of restriction of imports in order to operate efficiently. “He undertook to investigate the matter fully on his return to New Zealand. and gave an assurance, pending this investigation of the position, that such protection would not be extended to other industries. He also agreed on behalf of the New Zea-' land Government that its policy of licensing imports would not be used to foster uneconomic industries, and in order to assist it in determining whatj goods could be economically produced in New Zealand, it would invite views by the Brtiish industries concerned and would take such views into account. In cases where it was proposed to grant a limited number of licences for the manufacture of a particular kind of goods in New Zealand, tho Government would give British interests an opportunity to put forward proposals for undertaking such manufacture. The British Ministers gladly took jnole of the above assurance.” -*