BRITISH TRADE WITH NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 10

BRITISH TRADE WITH NEW ZEALAND

Firms Suffer By Import

Control

STATEMENTS IN LONDON NEWSPAPER British manufacturers are finding trade seriously affected by New Zealand’s control of imports, states a writer in the London “Daily Telegraph.” For the Dominion Government it has been stated that the main purpose of the new system of licensing all imports is to improve the trade of the Dominion with Great Britain, but in practice the system Ims brought trade, as far as future buying is concerned, almost to a standstill. Many manufacturers feel unable to accept advance orders unless assured that delivery will be accepted in New Zealand. A London agent must first obtain quotations, then cable his New Zealand office to apply for import licences, wait for the Government department concerned to investigate the ease, and finally receive a reply in the same roundabout manner.

Secret Lists,

New Zealand importers are allowed licences for only a percentage of the goods imported in 1938. This is based not. on their tot til imports but on their imports of each separate class of goods. Expansion of business by importers is thus impossible. No details of the goods or of the extent to which each class of goods has been affected have been made public, but secret lists have been issued by the Minister of Customs to the collectors of Customs at all New Zealand ports. The representative of a large New Zealand firm of importers who is now in London said that he wanted to buy £lOOO worth of samples, but his application for a licence to import them had been refused. Goods already on order when the restrictions were imnosed have so far been licensed, but licences for further orders have in many cases been refused. ’

Loss May Be £1,000,000.

This importer wished to purchase British cutlery, cameras, typewriters, glass ware, binoculars, fountain pens, electric lamps, pottery, artificial jewellery, sporting goods, clocks and pianos. He intended wherever possible to change from Continental lines to British. How the system works in his case is shown as follows: —

In each case the licence applied for included the amount, already on order. The figures quoted are for a period of six months. “Unless there is some compensating factor which has not yet been disclosed. British trade will lose more than £1,600.000,” said an agent.

Playing cards .. Already Licence on order. p applied Licence for. 250 granted. £ Nil. Clocks ... 150 500 150 Razor blades ... ... IM nno 760 Bowls ... ... 160 500 160 Tennis balls ... ... 350 600 350 Golf clubs ... 400 1000 400 Pootballs ...... 10 10 10 Lamps ... 200 ■100 200 4060 2030