“GROSSLY UNFAIR”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24413, 26 September 1940, Page 8

“GROSSLY UNFAIR”

IMPORT LICENSING WAR DELAYS NOT CONSIDERED REFLECTION ON DOMINION STATUS (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, Sept. 25. Referring to-day to the announcement by the Minister of Customs, Mr Nash, to the termination on December 31 of the third and fourth period licences for the importation of goods into Now Zealand, Mr Gainor Jackson, president of the Bureau of Importers (Inc.). Auckland, said it seemed to him that, with one stroke of the pen, Mr Nash would cancel out fully half of the licences for manufactured goods that he had issued for the fourth period. Mr Jackson made the point that, because of the war not only were there delays in the delivery of goods hut large quantities of goods ordered under the third and fourth period licences had been lost through enemy action while on their way to the Do minion, and there was now insufficient time for replacements to arrive here before December 31 A Restrictive Proviso “ The provision made by the Minister of Customs.” said Mr Jackson, is grossly unfair alike both to the New Zealand importers and to the British manufacturers, having regard to the exigencies of the war position and the delays involved in the delivery oi goods from the United'Kingdom as a result of the war. The position is made even worse because of Mr Nash s decision that all goods licensed undei the third and fourth periods which do not arrive in New Zealand P ec |lF,' ber 31. are to be written off the fifth period licences. Had Mr Nash made the proviso apply only to the third period licences, it would have been a reasonable provision, but to apply u to the fourth period is iniquitous boln to the New Zealand importers and to the British manufacturers.” The schedule for the fourth peuod was not issued until the middle ox April and the fourth period licences, m most cases, were not available to importers until July and August. Mr Jackson said. If the orders were made up immediately the licences were obtained say in the middle of August, the orders would not reach England until the end of September. Goods were now taking some two months to reach New Zealand from the United Kingdom and this would leave only four weeks for the United Kingdom manufacturers to manufacture and snip the manufactured goods. Unreasonably Short Mr Jackson said that, while this period might be reasonable for raw materials, it was altogether inadequate for manufactured goods., which, on the average, took fve to six months for shipments after orders were received British manufacturers would have committed themselves for raw materials and for the cost c" manufacture for the goods produced in most cases and specially for New Zealand. To cancel out these licences, as Mr Nash was doing was anything but a friendly gesture to the United Kingdom manufacturers when they were being so hard hit by the enemy. Mr Nash surely cannot have understood the implications of his action on New Zealand’s standing in the United Kingdom. Mr Jackson added. BRITISH TRADERS DISCUSSION ON RESTRICTIONS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON. Sept. 25. The council of United Kingdom Manufacturers and the New Zealand Representatives’ Association (Inc.) will meet on Friday in Wellington to consider the fifth period import restrictions with particular regard to their effect on trade between the United Kingdom and New Zealand.