CONCESSION MADE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21244, 14 January 1939, Page 6

CONCESSION MADE

Import Quotas for Next Term Proviso Added By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, January 13. Advice of a concession in the granting of import licenses for the second half of the year was received by the Bureau of Importers to-day in a telegram from the Minister of Customs, the Hon. W. Nash, stating that the procedure for import quotas in the second half of 1939 was at present being determined. Mr Nash added that applications which justified the early granting of licenses would be considered by the Government as urgent, and would be granted if circumstances warranted. The telegram was in reply to one from the Bureau seeking a list of British Empire and foreign goods prohibited, restricted and unaffected by the licensing regulations. Mr Nash said that the information as to the allocation of imports was made available to each importer on making application for a license. No general information was available in the meantime. A telegram has been sent thanking the Minister for his reply, and asking him to nominate a definite date on which he would meet all importers in conference in Wellington. The president of the Bureau, Mr W. A. Boucher, said that the decision to consider the granting of licenses for the second half of the year was a small step forward. It remained to be seen how much attached to the proviso “if circumstances warranted.” Neither this question nor the situation as a whole was clarified by the Minister's reply. Business could not go on under present conditions. The secretary of the Bureau, Mr R. M. Barker, said the booking of orders for delivery from July onward by softgoods firms and others who normally made such bookings at this time of the year had been brought to a standstill of recent weeks. The interruption had created difficulties and valuable time had been lost, but if applications were dealt with quickly importing firms would be assisted in meeting the position. No time Would be lost in preparing applications to import essential goods in the second half of the year. The executive of a large department store said that the value of the concession depended on what the Government classes as urgent. In the case of agents handling only a few lines it might be of value, but isolated cases would be of little value to a large general business. His concern now wanted to order all its requirements for the second half of the year and should really make application for every line to be treated as urgent. In his view the whole system should be put six months forward.