| Revision Of Import Procedure Sought

Northern Advocate, 17 March 1948, Page 3

| Revision Of Import Procedure Sought

NEW PLYMOUTH, Wed. <P.A.) Holding' that there exists an urgent and growing need for a more flexible and more easily operated system of import control, the annual conference of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation at New Plymouth yesterday adopted a report calling for revision of the present procedure. Mr J. A. Yates (Wellington) said there were three main requirements to bring about an improvement. They were:

j (1) A stabilised long-range policy of i issuing licences. I (2) Larger basic allocations and few- | er special licences. I (3) More flexibility between tariff ; items. HOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT The conference decided that, in conjunction with other interested organisations, it would place its recommendations before the Minister of Customs without delay in the hope that- some improvement in the licensing position might be effected for 1949. “There is no indication that there will be any marked improvement in the near future in deliveries of many locally manufactured goods,” stated a report: to the conference.

"In many cases the supply position is likely to deteriorate until it becomes as" difficult as at any time since 1940.

“Because of the drastic cut in import licences for 1948. supply has been almost completely cut olf. Reserves of slock which had accumulated in certain lines are rapidly becoming exhausted, and there is little hope of replenishing them within a reasonable time. NOT UNDERSTOOD “The trade is at a loss to understand why, in addition to' being told tha*t we must live within our income, responsible departments are so definite in their assertions that the main reason why special licences for importation of many essential lines are being refused is that there are amplestock reserves to meet the public demand for a considerable time. “The trade has no hesitation in challenging the Government to inform the public on what grounds this opinion is based. Retailers have ample evidence that sufficient supplies are available in Britain to relieve the future stock position considerably.”