Import Licence Reductions Criticised

Chronicle (Levin), 10 March 1948, Page 3

Import Licence Reductions Criticised

WELLINGTON, Mar. 9. ''The statcuieut by 'Mr. Nordmeyer ou iiuxjoyt iiceuces for 1948 is most unsatisl'actory aud uiiconviiicing not ^tiply because of his cuttiug dowa of the iiciences as compared with 1947, but also because he produces no faets and ligures whatever to prove the uecessity for any such cuts/' said the presideut of the Assoeiated Ch.am.bers of Commerce of New Zealaud (Mr. Haskell Aiiderson) in a statement today. Mr. Anderson added that importers f'elt an unwarrantably severe restrietion was being- .placed on-trading activities, and that tiie Govemmeiit; wras restricting considerribly in exeess of the exteut to which the United Ixingdom had-asked New Zealand ro reduce her iiuportatioiis from the United KingdOni. | The importers agreed Writh the Minister [that New Zealand- should eonfiiie its importationS fi'om' the searce eiirreney counti'ies to strietly essehti-al : : goods, j and that' N ew Zealand sliould mee'C the • request of the United Kingdom Govefnj ment to limit the tot-al import's to goods whieh eould be paid for out- of New Zealand 's cnrrent income (export earnings) and not encroach on New Zealand 's banked-up sterling'. exchange. otherwise available for the importations of goods.

"But Avhere we part company is tliat j we definitely do not agree that this [ latter requirement 'inevitably means' a considerable reduetion on. last "year 'b import licences added Mf. Anderson. He said the present prolihc/primary j production season wrould be an all-time' New Zealand record, and in addition tiie United Kingdom Government had increased the ririces jjayalde for New | Zealand ' produce, which it was buying } under contract. These two facts, he said, eombined to give New Zealand the prospect of a current income during j the present calendar year that had_ never before been attained. "The Minister 's claim that the import euts must apply for 1948 was a serious one in connection with Now Zealand's Aid to Britain campaign, " said Mr. Anderson. The importers were still awaiting a reply to their request to the Minister to release the detailed income and expenditure account and the balance-sheet covering New Zealand 's total estiinated overseas exchange operations for 1948. "We suspect the nigger in the woodpile is that the New Zealand Government is exercising the option to repay in 1948 out of our current export earnings the loan of £24,000,000. That probablv would account for the import restriclions, ' ' concluded Mr. Anderson.