CONTROL OVER IMPORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1939, Page 6

CONTROL OVER IMPORTS

TN ils detail application, the system of import licensing which has been brought into force in this country seems likely to give rise to indefinitely extending controversy. A serious disturbance of business and even, in some instances, an elimination of business, is entailed and those upon whom the worst effects fall naturally are filled with a sense of grievance and even of outrage.

At the same time, no obvious reply suggests itself to the leading points made by the Minister ol Finance (Mr Nash) in his address to a national conference of business men yesterday —particularly that action had Io he taken to halt the drain on the Dominion’s oversea funds in order that it might meet its commitments in London and that any action adopted to that end would have entailed a restriction of imports. 1 heoreticallv, at least, much of the disturbance now occasioned might have been averted had the problem been attacked at an earlier date and by more deliberate and gradual methods. \\ hat chance, however, would a policy on these lines have had ol being approved had it been proposed two or three years ago.'

General satisfaction no doubt will he felt with that section of the Finance Minister’s address yesterday in which he reiterated assurances already given that it is the Goteminent s policy, in the administration of the import licensing regulations, to do ail it can to give maximum preference to lhe United Kingdom, though not to lhe point of excluding reciprocal arrangements with other countries. For the rest, Air Nash undertook, ”as lai* as was humanly possible to icmove an\ hardships or anomalies resulting from the administration of the regulations.” The whole position and outlook should be placed in clearer perspective by the discussion which is to take place today between the Minister and the trading representatives v/ho have assembled in Vi ellington,