Grave Concern Over Import Restrictions

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1948, Page 3

Grave Concern Over Import Restrictions

WELLINGTON, April 5. A statenient by Mr. fS. Howarc Hunter, president of the New Zea land Manufacturers ' Federation, says, ' ' There is not a matter exercising thi minds oi' manufacturers throughoul New ZealKnd, to a greater degree thaxi is the contiuued difficulty' of securin^ import licences to f acilitate the procurement of the neeessary raw materials for industry. After a clos'e examination of the position relating to raw matcrial import licences so far issued for 19-18, the federation finds itself cont'ront^d with a series of questions which oniy the Government can ahswer. As the federation sees it, only immediate action by the Government can prevent a most serious dislocation of production, enployment and supply in the latter haJf of 1918 and earlv 1919. "The position disclosed is staggering and gives reason for gravest concern. tippeals for licences to meet nrgent reqniremenls have been practieally iguored and the attitude of the authorities to these requests demonstrates beyond all doubt a complete disregarct of a manufacturer 's obligation to safeguard the empioyment of his stali'. ' ' Oue survey covering a representative group of ruanufacturing industries whoso total licences in 1917 -was £2, 935, 066. shows that for 1918 only £1,560,612 has been issued to these sam>; firms. From inforniation available the federation is satislied that licences issued for factory raw mat'erials for 1918 are totallv inadequate to maintain production and eniployment. It is too late even now to repair the whole ol^. the damage but immediate action by the Government can, to some extent, avoid a complete br'eakdown. Manufacturers are dailv h^iving to turn down offers of goods from the United Kingdom because we have no import licence. To safeguard the maintenance of fuii production and full empioyment we tnust be sure that, *as ,a group, .we are not. being asked to accept niore thau our rclative share of any neeessary reduclion. . . "T«> nppraisc .Ihe position safis, factorily'} we feeli wa are not un-: reasohable in askipg thd- -folLQwiiig questions: — • 'u (1) "What is the estimated value of New Zealand experts for the 1918 licensing period? (2) "What amount of overseas funds is being allocated this year, respectively i'01 debN service, (lcbt repayrpcnt, Government buying, private imports (£9"), 000, 090 tlie Minister has announced) and miscellaneous contingencies? (3) "Whai were the equivalent uinouuts spent (or allocated if actual expenditure is not vet available) under these groupings for 1917 ^ (4) "What percentage of 1917 licences wilf be allowed to manufacturers for 1918 and when will these be- issued? "We feel that 110 Government can ndminister a policy of import selection withoul haviug this inforniation availalile. I11 tuni we feel that no organisalion oi manufacturers can advise its tnembers how to plan their production withoul this inforniation being made available to ua. 7 ' ,