EMPHATIC PROTEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1939, Page 2

EMPHATIC PROTEST

AGAINST REDUCTIONS ON IMPORTS IN SPITE OF SUPREME COURT DECISION. , AUCKLAND RESOLUTION (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 26. The following resolution, addressed to the Government, was adopted today by 150 importers at a special meeting convened by the Bureau of Importers:— “■That ths meeting desires to protest most emphatically against . the action of . the Government in insisting upon of the import regulations which have been declared by the Supreme Court to be illegal. By such action the Government is placing State policy above the rule of law, and is making the will of the executive superior to the administration of justice. The meeting further protests against the threat of the Government to use its Parliamentary majority to enforce a policy for which it never received a mandate from the electors. It is a matter for grave public concern that such a threat will be given retrospective operation.” The resolution was carried unanimously. A further resolution, moved by Mr Boucher and carried unanimously, called upon the Government to instruct Customs officials to release goods now held pending the production of import licences. The meeting also passed a resolution thanking the Collector of Customs and his officers for the assistance and courtesy extended to importers.

The president, Mr W. A. Boucher, said that it had been stated that the victory arising from the Supreme Court judgment was rather a hollow one, but he did not think so. He considered that more would be heard of it, and that eventually it would be regarded as a beginning of the return of the rights to importers. The success achieved must, however, be followed up. Hundreds of men in business had been ruined during the existence of the regulations and thousands had lost employment, or were on the point of losing it. Mr Boucher said that legal opinion indicated that any attempt to hold goods back in future was illegal. If the value of goods lying on the wharves exceeded £3OO, action to recover them must be taken through the Supreme Court, and it would probably be August before a case could be heard. If goods were valued at under £3OO action could be taken through the Magistrates’ Court. Importers who wished to have goods released should make a demand by letter to the Collector of Customs with a notice that legal action would be taken if goods were not delivered. He said that many congratulatory telegrams had been received by Mr Gainor Jackson on the success of the Supreme Court action and by the Bureau of Importers. Mr Jackson was greeted with cheers and a storm of applause when he rose to speak. He said he would not comment in detail on the judgment. The judge had found that the regulations were not valid and never had been valid. Mr Jackson claimed also that the restrictions against the export of funds to pay for imports should be removed. Mr J. Hislop said that he wanted to clear importers from the charge that they had been in any way responsible for the serious financial crisis which was undoubtedly facing the country. “We are not going to put our rights and liberties in pawn to get the Government out of that,” he said, adding that the responsibility for. the shortage of the Dominion’s sterling funds rested entirely with the Government. Importers welcomed Mr Savage’s sugestion that importers offer the Government an alternative scheme. The Bureau of Importers could furnish a scheme that would achieve all that the Government set out to achieve.