BANNED IMPORTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 27 November 1945, Page 4

BANNED IMPORTS

POPULAR FOODSTUFFS CRITICISM OF POLICY Reference to the way in which the Government has discouraged or forbidden the importation of common foodstuffs which were once everyday items of diet is made by a representative of an Auckland firm of importers in commenting on the 1946 licensing schedule. Although the Minister of Customs, Mr Nash, had stated that basic allocations had been fixed for over 140 more headings than in the 1945 schedule, a large number of practical items had either received no allocation or were on the deferred list, the representative said. ITEMS ON PROHIBITED LIST Included among those for which no allocation was made were pearl barley, split peas, wheat flour, chocolate, smoked or dried fish, figs,, jams, jellies, and marmalade, potted or preserved meats, all biscuits, confectionery, potted or preserver fish, macaroni, vermicelli, spaghetti and soups. “One cannot but conclude that the Government nas given little or no thought to those problems of diet and nutrition which are to-day the worry oi every housewife and mother,” the importer continued. “Other items on the deferred or control!; 4 list for which licenses may possibly be issued if the Government sees fit are dried beans and lentils, dried apricots and peaches, canned fruits, peanuts, rice, raw coffee, fruit pulps and partially preserved fruits, desiccated coconut, currants, raisins, sago and tapioca. AIDING MONOPOLIES “This indicates that the Government obviously intends to reserve the right 1 : choose for the people what they shall eat, this doubtless being part of the new freedom.” In gome cases it seemed that the Government, which had decl - red itself opposed to monopolies, was determined to grant monopolies to New Zealand manufacturers. Canned fishr, including the popular varieties, such as sardines and salmon, had been given no allocation. The representative concluded by pointing out that, although such popular items had been excluded, capers, caraway seeds and caviare may be imported to the extent of 100 per cent. of the licenses granted in 1945.