RESTRICTED IMPORTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 117, 16 April 1940, Page 3

RESTRICTED IMPORTS

EFFECTS ON HARBOUR POLICY. References to trade and the outlook for the future were made by Mr M. A Eliott, chairjnau of tlio Wellington Harbour Board, iu his address at the recent annual meeting of that body. “For reasons which the Government has considered necessary for the conservation of sterling funds jn London, drastic import restrictions have been in operation during most of the year/’ the chairman said. “It will ho clear to members that any reduction in the volume of imports must be of serious moment to tins board; more so probably than to other boards, because of the fact that in carrying out the functions of wharfinger and handling cargoes from ships’ slings to our sheds we have built up a staff and provided faoitilities that can only be justified if they can be employed. The hoard relies on a certain volume of goods of all classifications passing over its wharves, and its tariff is designed to cover a fair balance of measurement goods, such as motor-cars, drapery, and lines of a similar nature, as against the heavyweight goods or raw materials. -As the hoard supplies the clerical and and manual labour in handling tiiese goods into the sheds and on the wharves, and has made its charges accordingly, it can be seen that any substantial decrease in quantity as well as variation in the class of goods to be handled, must affect its cost of working. Therefore, if it has to handle more unprofitable lines than hitherto with a gradual decline in the volume of imports, the question must be faced, before long, as to how this board can maintain its staff up to the strength that was necessary to cope with the trade of the last two prosperous years. The alternatives to a reduction of stall', caused through a drop in the trade, can only he by economies or by an increase in charges. Certain economies can be carried out, but this would not go far in meeting a serious drop in our import trade.”