INDUSTRY RETARDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26774, 18 May 1948, Page 7

INDUSTRY RETARDED

SHORTAGE OF IMPORT LICENCES P.A. AUCKLAND, May 17. The serious position developing because of the continued withholding of import licences for materials necessary to maintain production and employment in the factories had again been stressed in a discussion with Mr Nash by a delegation from the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, said the president of the federation, Mr S. Howard Hunter, on his return from Wellington to-day. “On behalf of the manufacturers, we accepted an assurance by Mr Nash that an, examination of the position was being prosecuted with urgency and that a decision would be reached very soon,” Mr Hunter added. “ When the delegation again meets the Minister it hopes to be given the opportunity to advance proposals for'ending the hold-up in industry.” Mr Hunter said that Mr Nash again stressed the request by the British Government to New Zealand to endeavour to live within its income in so far as imports from Britain were concerned. “It is obvious,” Mr Hunter said, “ that the spending of our national income is to be increasingly scrutinized, but let there be no doubt that we cannot maintain production without the necessary materials, and any enforced restriction of production must inevitably mean a reduction in employment.” ■