IMPORT LICENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23273, 16 February 1939, Page 14

IMPORT LICENCES

SECOND SIX MONTHS ISSUE IN SPECIAL CASES GENERAL POLICY NOT DECIDED DEFINING ESSENTIAL GOODS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Some import licences for tho importation of goods during the second six months period have been issued by tho Customs Department, but it is made clear by tho Minister of Finance and Customs, the Hon. W. Nash, that only in very few special cases has this been done.

" There are cases where it has been necessary to issue licences for the second period where the effect of tho regulations on agents and travellers now taking orders is considered," said Mr. Nash, "but it has been done only in special cases to help men booking orders for goods for delivery in the second period. It will be some time in March before the Government has decided the general policy in respect of the secoud period."

Commenting on the fact that there has been some relaxation of the restrictions on books, Mr. Nash said tho idea behind tho importation of reading matter was to place no barrier between the public and what they wanted to read. "Bad" books, of course, were still restricted. "Licences are required for everything except books and medicine," said tho Minister, "but we may have to give some thought to tho importation of supplies of essential goods. That is being considered now. Ho added that the Government would define what essential goods were.

TRADE WITH AMERICA BLACKLISTING UNLIKELY SUGGESTION CHALLENGED " ILL-INFORMED STATEMENT " £.BY TELEGBArH PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON Wednesday The opinion expressed by Professor N. F. Hall in a British Broadcasting Corporation broadcast that as a result of the New Zealand Government's system of import licensing and exchange control the United States might blacklist the Dominion, as it had done Germany, was vigorously challenged by Mr. Bernard B. Carlin, a prominent American export counsel, who was interviewed at Wellington. At the same time, Mr. Carlin said, the method which the Government had adopted to meet the present crisis had been' tried and found wanting. A better method, he suggested, would be to establish an official rate of exchange and, in addition, a free market where exchange could be purchased at a higher rate. "This 26-year-old professor," said Mr. Carlin, referring to Mr. Hall, who is professor of political economy at London University, "has taken it on himself to prophesy what the United States may do. He says: 'I am afraid it is quite possible that as a result of this method of trade control New Zealand may find herself in future blacklisted, along with Germany, by the United States.' "In my own case," added Mr. Carlin, "as an American citizen and in the name of the 66 American manufacturers I represent in foreign trade, I take exception to any such ill-informed statement."

Mr. Carlin added that the figures showed quito a handsome balance of trade in favour of the United States, "and certainly neither our Government nor our business firms would bo in the humour or have any just cause to blacklist New Zealand."