MANY ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FROM IMPORT CONTROL BY NEXT YEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 May 1950, Page 6

MANY ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FROM IMPORT CONTROL BY NEXT YEAR

AUCKLAND, Last Night (PA>.The Government proposes to remove a considerable number of items from import control in 1951, said the Minister of Customs (Mr Bowden) in a Press statement tonight, Mr Bowden emphasised that care would be taken not to remove from control in the meantime goods of a class which could be supplied satisfactorily by domestic industry.

"For a considerable number of items licences are granted on a basis calculated to meet all requirements and therefore there is no real restriction," said the Minister. “The exempted list will probably cover a wide field of imports.” In the foodstuffs group there are such items as infants’ and invalids' foods, dried beans, lentils, nuts, rice, sago, tapioca, spices, and cream of tartar, which could probably all be freed from licensing without adverse effects on the funds. Similarly, bacteriological products, chloroform, surgical instruments and other essential requirements not produced In New Zealand could come in freely.

“The soft goods trade would rightly expect that some of their lines would be covered, and this would also apply to hardware and the metal goods field. There seems no good reason why licences should be required for things like sheet and plate glass, oil stones, ball bearings, tools, blind rollers and many items of machinery and tools. “Booksellers will be more than pleased to learn that their request for the freeing from control of books, papers and sheet music is being seriously considered,” continued Mr Bowden. “If they’ are not exempt in 1951, licences will be granted on a more liberal basis. Many manufacturers of raw materials also come within the category of goods which could be exempt from licensing. "Even if the removal of control from items does not go as far as the Government would like, it is likely that more goods would be covered by a basic licence. The grouping of tariff items might give greater freedom of choice to importers and, in addition, there is a growing possibility of greater interchangability between countries being attained in futuse years.

"It must be stressed that exchange permits will still be necessary, even for items removed from control,” he said. One result of de-licensing a considerable number of tariff items from import control would be to relieve pressure on shipping and congestion on the wharves at the end of the present licensing period, Mr Bowden concluded.