LIMIT ANNOUNCED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26639, 9 December 1947, Page 5

LIMIT ANNOUNCED

AUSTRALIAN DECISION TOBACCO LEAF AND MOTOR CHASSIS IMPORTS FROM NORTH ' AMERICA *■ N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright. Rec. 1 a.m. CANBERRA. Dec. 8. The Prime Minister, Mr J. B. Chifley, announced to-night that after a full dollar review. Cabinet had decided that imports of motor vehicle chassis from North America would be limited to £9,000,000 for the 18-month period ending on June 30, 1949. Of this, only £3,000,000 will be permitted for importation before June 30, 1948.

An interdepartmental committee on which the industry will be represented, will be responsible for recommending the allocation among various makes and models of chassis. Mr Chifley said that American tobacco leaf purchases had already been made for the current year, and reductions therefore would be ineffective until the 1948-49 period. Imports in that year would be reduced approximately 50 per cent. The total consumption of Australian and imported newsprint was fixed at 90,000 tons annually from January 1, making the average cut on pre-war consumption 51 per cent. Petrol will be reduced a further ■ 10 per cent, and film companies’ remittances will be limited to 50 per cent, of the base year quota and the remainder retained in Australia.

Mr Chifley said the total imports from the United’ States and Canada would be about £90,000,000 in 1947-48 compared with actual imports of just over £60,000,000 in 1946-47. The measures taken by the Government, however, were to reduce the importation rate in 1948 to one praticable in the light of the assessment of the dollar situation at present available. Mr R. T. Pollard was also authorised within the framework of existing import controls to divert a greater proportion of Australian-produced goods to the dollar market. It was recognised that the possibilities were limited because of existing commitments.