OVERSEAS GOODS IMPORTATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 31 December 1938, Page 4

OVERSEAS GOODS IMPORTATION

LICENCE ISSUE IN NEW YEAR SCHEDULE OF ITEMS NOT DISCLOSED MANY APPLICATIONS I I The items to be debarred under the I import licensing system formulated by the Government have not been disclosed yet. Since the Import Licensing Regulations were brought down, the only goods for which licenses have been issued are drugs and essential hospital supplies and raw materials essential for manufacturing. Many applications have been lodged with the Customs Department at Christchurch for licenses to import goods, says the “Press." Only those in the two categories of drugs and raw materials have been granted by the department, notwithstanding a belief among the business community that essential foodstuffs would also be allowed to enter the country without question. Most of the applications were made before Christmas and intending importers are unlikely to have any idea of the restrictions imposed by the Customs Department until licenses are issued early in January. Then, and only by a method of back checking, will they be able to ascertain the particulars of the goods which the Government will not allow to be imported into New Zealand. OFFICIAL RETICENCE No schedules of the banned goods are likely to be issued. That was indicated by the Hon. W Nash (Minister for Customs) in a statement to the “Press" by telephone on Bth December. Replying to a question by a reporter of the “Press,” Mr Nash said : “1 do not think that the schedule will be published." The Ministerial view then has been since confirmed by the reticence of officials of the Customs Department to discuss the regulations and tneir significance. Although the general view is that the various offices of the Customs Department have been supplied with a list of goods which will not be admitted to New Zealand, no confirmation of the knowledge of the department’s intention is procurable. Officers of the department firmly decline to discuss the regulations in general or particular terms.

A large number of importing firms have filed applications for licenses. So (ar. they do not know where they stand, because the department has not issued permits or has given no explanation for the delay. The only applications which have been returned to importers arc ! those which are not in order. Forms for applications for licenses have been issued and, when not filled in correctly, they are returned to the importers by the department. However, no indication has been given by this routine course of the ultimate fate of the applications. ORDERS NOT URGENT The'full implications of the Import Licensing Regulations will not be known until well into the New Year, because many importers will not endeavour to secure new supplies for the seascyi until business resumes its normal course in January. For instance, jewellers do not decide what they will order, for October and November do* livery, until March. Concern is being expressed by some importers, who deal in goods of a purely seasonal nature. •There is, for instance, the ordering oi requirements for the shooting season which begins on Ist May. License applications have been made by some indentors and importers and they are fearful that the delay in the issue of the licenses will result in the goods be-

inn delivered too late for the 1939 season in special lines of game shooting. One Christchurch firm, at least, has filed two applications for licenses to import Spanish wines. It has not yet received any advice as to the granting or rejection of the application. None of the whisky importers yet know whether they will be able to order sufficient quantities to meet the demands of their clients. Both wines and whisky, it is believed, may be classed as luxury lines, but until the Customs Department begins to issue permits when the office ; reopens after the New Year vacation, i the policy of the Government will not | be known. Tobacco dealers r.re also speculating on the acceptance of their applications by the department. The trade generally believes that American tobacco and i cigarettes will be on the banned list and that the luxury lines of English eigarI cites, as well as cigars, will not be j available to the New Zealand public in J the future. Cigarette papers are now 1 cut and prepared in this country and | manufacturers in Australia also supply j a large quantity. Most of the raw j material —the paper only—comes from just south of Paris, and if trade in i French goods is banned, a problem will ! INTERNATIONAL COMPLICATIONS * The unwillingness of the Government i to declare definitely the list of goods • which will be banned and the countries | of export which will be on the debarred j list is accepted philosophically in the I city as being a measure of State policy. ! It is recognised that if the Government ! were to announce that goods from, say. I Japan, would not be admitted, international complications would arise. j In the meantime importers are patient I in awaiting the decisions of the Customs Department. Any haste on their j part would be effortless, they realise, j but most are anxious to know the full 1 details of the Government’s plans, so ; that they can make their business ar- ; rangements for the immediate future.