Red Tape Tactics Annoy Merchants

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 110, 30 July 1927, Page 12

Red Tape Tactics Annoy Merchants

NEEDLESS LOSSES ALLEGED POTATOES HELD UP Red tape tactics adopted by the department in regard to potato importations have come in for considerable criticism during the past week. On Saturday last the Kartigi from Melbourne and Tasmania brought to a bare market 400 tons of potatoes. Owing to the papers not being in order the consignment was not released until to-day on top of heavy Southern arrivals ex Waipiata and Wingatui. With the local market easier importers will now have difficulty in showing a profit.

In addition to losses through being kept off a. bare market the merchants concerned have also been charged a heavy storage fee. When the consignment was first mooted, representations were made by Southern interests to the Government to have additional restrictions placed on overseas importations. The request was granted, but by the time new regulations were gazetted, the Australian shipment was on the water. The shippers were notified by cable and fresh papers complying with the new regulations filled in and mailed. The Minister of Agriculture in Victoria also cabled the New Zealand authorities advising that the shipment came up to the required standard. In spite or this official confirmation, however, the consignees were unable to obtain release of the shipment until the arrival of the belated mails nearly a week later. Local merchants consider that on the present occasion red tape tactics have been carried a step too far as, had the shippers been notified in time, everything would have been in order before the potatoes were shipped. Now, through no fault of their own, merchants are compelled to forfeit practically all chance of profit. The potatoes, 300 tons of which came from Tasmania, are reported to be of particularly fine sample and well above the quality of those which have come to hand from the South during the past few months. This is the first overseas shipment to arrive in Auckland this season and in all probability will be the last, as merchants here are generally of the opinion that the Southern market will not see greatly enhanced values. While such a state of affairs is maintained there is no profit in Australian or Tasmanian consignments.