MAIL ORDER TRADE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1938, Page 4

MAIL ORDER TRADE

LOOPHOLE SEEN IN IMPORT REGULATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day: Attention to a loophole which might easily nullify the whole intention of the proposed import restrictions was drawn by a Wellington manufacturer yesterday. The particular point was the provision permitting anyone to import goods for his own personal use to the value of £lO.

“It is certain,” he said, “that when overseas mail order firms notice that provision they will immediately flood New Zealand with catalogues and people acting individually could easily make overseas purchases that would amount to a total sufficient seriously to imperil the Dominion’s London balances.

“One would have thought that the comparatively recent experience with the cash on delivery system would have been a sufficient warning of the dangerinherent in the new provision. New Zealand traders investigated the cash on delivery system before the successful move was made to have it abolished. It was found that thousands and thousands of parcels were coming to New Zealand from overseas, and that the post office in this country was acting. as a collecting agent for the consignors. ■

“It is possible that people in this country would find it a little cheaper to import their requirements from abroad rather than buy them locally, and if that happened to be the case it would quickly provide a strong impetus to buying from overseas firms.”