NOT AFFECTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 30 August 1945, Page 4

NOT AFFECTED

IMPORTS UNDER LICENCE CANADIAN AND U.S. GOODS Wellington This Day. A statement that, orders which have been placed on either Canada or the United States under the authority of import licences were not affected by the termination of mutual aid and leud-lease was made last, night by the Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr. Sullivan. He said the orders which were affected were those which liad been, or were being placed, on those countries by the Ministry of Suppler on hclialf of importers. Mr. Sullivan stated that with the cescessation of lend lease and mutual aid some difficulties and delays were likely r» he occasioned in the immediate future insofar as the procurement of supplies from these two countries was concerned. A good deal of correspondence had already been received by the Ministry of Supply as to tjje position of present and future orders on Canada and the United States. It was not practicable to give an answer for a few days till the general situation was clarified. Likewise. a number of orders already received by the Ministry would be held till the decision was reached as to how they would be processed for procurement purposes. Distribution of Supplies. In view of the critical nature of a number of commodities and to ensure that there was no breakdown in the production and distribution of critical supplies, the combined Governments of the United States of America. Great Britain and Canada had agreed to retain in operation for a time at least the Combined Production Resources Board, the Combined Raw Materials Board and the Combined Food Board. In effect, this meant that the procurement of supplies which came within the scope of these boards might i)ecessarily«be determined by a system of essentiality and priority. “Naturally, importers and merchants throughout the Dominion will be anxious to ascertain at the earliest possible moment the position regarding orders already placed with the Ministry and also what action should be taken by them in respect of their future requirements of those critical supplies previously obtainable only through the Ministry of Supply on a Government to Government basis,” said the Minister. “It will be appreciated that, of necessity, a complete review must be made by the Ministry of all orders that have not yet been fulfilled by the overseas suppliers, and this in itself is a job of considerable magnitude. However, the Commissioner of Supply has the matter well in hand and immediately the position is clarified merchants and importers will be notified as to the position of their respective orders.”