DELIVERY MADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23860, 10 January 1941, Page 9

DELIVERY MADE

OVERSEAS GOODS LICENCE ADJUSTMENTS RELIEVING CONGESTION Delivery of fair quantities of overseas goods that arrived in vessels after December .'il and which were originally subject to third or fourth period licences was made to consignees yesterday. Such release indicates that the licence difficulties chiefly responsible for a big accumulation of goods on trie wharves has been overcome in the particular instances. The Customs Department now appears to be issuing special licences at a very fair rate where there are no fifth period allocations, and il has also made a good number of adjustments of fifth period licences. It is therefore fair to as-unie that the congestion of goods on the wharves, which involves importers in demurrage charges, will soon be relieved. Some measure ol responsibility for the hold-up of goods on the wharves falls upon importers who neglected to ascertain the procedure determined upon under the licence scheme following the cancellation of all third and fourth term licences at the close of ]O4O. Where they failed to hand in old licences promptly and to make fresh applications, the Customs Department, cannot he blamed for the delay in receiving their goods. Nevertheless, the department has been overburdened by the volume of adjustments necessary under the new procedure. .Much cargo in the sheds remains unidentified because of the absence of shipping documents, some consignees being apparently unaware of • the arrival ot goods for them, Where cargo marks are sufficient to establish identification, the Harbour Board has advised importers concerned ot the arrival of their consignments. Many packages delivered yesterday were for manufacturers engaged on military orders, it being stated that licence adjustments necessary were expedited on representations of, the urgency of the particular instances concerned. Some firms comment on the speed in which the department has dealt with readjustments in the normal course.