FOODSTUFFS DENIED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25798, 20 March 1945, Page 6

FOODSTUFFS DENIED

ILLOGICAL IMPORT CONTROL SARDINES WITHHELD FROM CONSUMERS [Contributed] On several recent occasions attention has been drawn to the manner in which bureaucratic control of import* cuts directly across the public interest. The reason for import .control was stated at the time of its infliction to be the necessity to conserve sterling funds in London. In the press of Tuesday, the 6th instant, appears information taken from an official statement issued by the Reserve Bank to the effect that whereas in 1939, the first year of import control, the sterling exchange in London stood at £N.Z.6.8 million, the figure on February 26, 1945, was £47,307,983. Despite the above related facts, the Import Control Regulations are still used against the public interest as illustrated by the flat refusal of the Minister of Customs and Finance to authorise an import licence which would enable New Zealand consumers to take advantage of the ability of the Dominion of Canada to export canned sardines to this country. Everyone knows that canned sardines were, in pre-war days, an important item in New Zealand dietary and deservedly so because of their excellent nutritive value and high vitamin content. They were particularly valuable to the diet of people living in country areas where fresh fish was unobtainable. Available from Canada Since the outbreak of war, the canned fish products of the Dominion of Canada have been required for the armed forces of the Allied nations and only this year has it been possible to release canned sardines for both civilian consumption in Canada and for export. Arrangements were made by the British and Canadian Governments, working in co-operation, to release for export from Canada a definite quota of canned sardines to all countries except the United States. It was immediately observed that British dominions other than New Zealand, immediately took advantage of this generous offer by Canada and took up their quotas without hesitation so that their peoples could once again secure supplies of what is accepted the world over as a valuable, cheap and health-giving foodstuff. But not so in New Zealand. Because of the system of bureaucratic control from which this Dominion at present suffers, the people of New ' Zealand must forgo their share of the export quota and simply do without. And for no known reason.

On receipt of cabled offers ’from Canadian export houses, applications for import licences were made by many New Zealand wholesale grocery importers. These applications for import licences were rejected coldly without any reason for the rejection being stated. As the matter of securing adequate and properly balanced supplies of foodstuffs is of major importance to the consumers of New Zealand, the subject was raised in the form of a question on the floor of the House in November last, but no reply was received from the Minister of Customs. In other words, the question was ignored. Subsequently, appeals were made by telegram direct to the Minister of Customs and Finance. It was fully explained to the Minister that Canada had plentiful supplies available for export and that other countries were drawing from the export quota, which was rapidly being exhausted. It was also pointed out to the Minister that New Zealand had been deprived for many years, and for various reasons, of the normal supply of canned sea foods which are important to the people’s dietary. The Minister was informed that application for licence to import was being lodged and he was asked to support that application by recommending the issuance of the necessary import licence. No reply was received to that telegram, so four days later another telegram was despatched to the Minister pointing out that the Canadian quota was fast diminishing, and that if supplies were to be secured urgent action was necessary.

A reply was then received from the Minister stating that the exportation of canned sardines from Canada was not permitted, which statement is directly contrary to the information provided by the Canadian Department of Fisheries. The statement by the Canadian Department of Fisheries that supplies were available was immediately telegraphed to the Minister, who was requested to advise the source of his official information. This telegram was ignored. "Passing the Buck” As the matter was of national importance, the complete situation was explained in a lengthy telegram to the Prime Minister. All the facts and circumstances were related to him and an appeal was made to him, in the interests of the people of this Dominion, for his .assistance. • The reply received was a cold statement to the effect that the representations were being referred to the Minister of Customs for his consideration. In other words, any thought that the leader of the Government of this country would have the interests of the people at heart was doomed to disappointment, so that a really Gilbertian situation is reached where the Minister of Customs ignores important communications and the Prime Minister, when appealed to, refers the matter back to the Minister of Customs, a classical example of " passing the buck.” It will be remembered that when the Labour Government came into power in 1935, Mr Savage, when referring to the fact that New Zealand funds in London then stood at about £45,000,000, askcll “What was the good of having money there lying idle? Surely it was there to be spent.” The policy of the Labour Government then was to use these funds. To-day, we find the reverse. With New Zealand funds in London', at even a higher level, i.e., £47,000,000. the Labour Government refuses to sanction the importation of essential foodstuffs to this Dominion. So in the closing scenes, we have Canada prepared, able, anxious, and willing to supply an important foodstuff to New Zealand. We have the people of New Zealand, who have been deprived of such food for years, anxious and willing to accept, pay for, and use these goods. But they are prevented from doing so by the two leaders of the Dominion's import control and financial policy (the very people who should assist them) who choose to view the subject , with a blind eye and to turn a deaf ear to all appeals.