Mr Nash Alleges Lack Of Courtesy By Importers’ Conference

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1939, Page 8

Mr Nash Alleges Lack Of Courtesy By Importers’ Conference

K'T. (Per Press Association. Copyright.] IJv- ' , WELLINGTON, Wednesday. CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT’S EXCHANGE POLICY *fS&Y MR M. S. MYERS, OF DUNEDIN, PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATED Chambers of commerce, provoked a sharp rebuke THE MINISTER OF CUSTOMS, THE HON. W. NASH, WHEN THE MINISTER RETURNED TO THE IMPORTERS’ CONFERENCE .SHORTLY BEFORE NOON TO-DAY TO ANSWER 39 WRITTEN QUESTIONS.

Mr Nash said he wondered when arrangements were made, one with the other, to do certain things, that he should be subjected to an attack on the Government of which he was a member.

He wondered whether it was fair and whether, if it was in the mind of the Conference, that he should not have been told of it.

He did not mind the attack. But he thought any person ill-affected by a Government’/policy should, within the political organisation, have the right to say what he thought of the Government’s policy. _

That Was right, but it was not right for him to attend a conference, especially to answer questions at his own request, and then, before answering the questions, be subjected to such an attack on the Government.

Mr Nash said he also regretted the

apparent majority decision of the conference not dp ‘have two officers of the Customs Department present at the discussions. Dictaphone Record. Moreover, he was somewhat concerned that dictaphone records were being taken .of* his speech. He had been told he spoke too fast for shorthand records. V The usual procedure, he said, was for "a Minister to do certain things and then, when the persons affected had l ,made out their case, they went to the Government.

United Kingdom First Preference. In his opinion the United Kingdom had done more for the Dominions than they could reasonably expect any country normally to do. (Applause).

It, had given special preferences regarding marketing facilities, and made major contributions to the Dominion’s defence, and New Zealand was willing to do its part in making the impact of the new procedure the least harmful against the United Kingdom.

The Government would do all possible to reduce difficulties to United Kingdom manufacturers and others arising from the control plan. Maximum preference would be given the United States, and there were other countries with which, in recent years, New Zealand had made agreements and which he thought, possibly would take more from New Zealand than previously. Knowledge Gained. Since the introduction of control the Government was beginning to see for the first time what happened to the proceeds of the sale of exports which had not been fully known in the past. Only during the past moruth or six weeks had the Government begun to see the ramifications of credit and currency, and the effect on sterling funds.

He had gone out of his way to let the. conference know the procedure, and that same courtesy was due to the Government. He did not think that he had; had it that morning. It might be all to the good to have a complete record of all that was said, but he was sorry that such things had been said, and it might have been better fdrithem to have been said at another, time. 1 c. t No Delay With Appeals.

Mr Nash said there had been no unnecessary delay in dealing with appeals.; ' It would expedite the procedure if appeals -wfcre lodged in duplicate with the Collector of Customs, who issued the license. -

He did'not intend to set up any tribunal ip. connection with the hearing of appeals in the meantime. In replying to the question whether the "Government would allow the importation of goods ordered prior to December 5 without deduction from the quota,-Mr Nash said that if undue hardship and injustice were likely to follow, particular cases would be ; taken into account.

Mr. Nash asked the conference to accept the fact that the Government had been elected to take charge of the country and the new procedure was part of its policy. He would do everything humanly possible to remove any hardship or injustice that might arise. As regards procedure, Mr. Nash said he had given instructions to all collectors of customs to act exactly the same at every port. There was to be no discrimination.

He took particular pride in the staff of the Customs Department. It comprised some of the finest officers that had ever been associated with any Government. He had profound faith in their integrity. Anomalies .Realised. The basis of the allocation for the first six months of the present year was the quantity imported in the first six months of 1938. That occasioned' tremendous difficulty.

He knew there were anomalies, and to overcome some of them, although he did not want to issue licenses for a second period just yet, instructions went out a fortnight ago to collectors that where special circumstances existed a license could be issued for half of the total imports during the year. i if N|

Provision had also been made for new lines and new imports. Hundreds of appeals had been answered, and an effort made to work out general principles on special points.

Cases of particular hardship would be dealt with immediately.