IMPORT REGULATIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 January 1939, Page 5

IMPORT REGULATIONS

DECLARED UNNECESSARY AND UNJUST DECISIONS OF BUSINESS CONFERENCE. i ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. After hearing the address by the Minister of Customs. Mr Nash, on Wednesday, and submitting to him yesterday a list of questions, many of his answers to which were regarded as completely unsatisfactory, the national import conference, which concluded in Wellington yesterday afternoon, condemned the Government’s import control regulations as impracticable, unnecessary and unjust. The conference gave consideration to possible alternatives to the regulations, and approved an alternative procedure submitted by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. It elected a special committee to make a reasoned reply to the Minister's opening address, to express considered views on Mr Nash’s replies to questions, to make clear to the consuming public its objections to the regulations and outline the advantages of the alternative proposal. The conference, which was convened by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, in conjunction with the New Zealand Importers’ Federation, was attended by more than I 700 business men from all parts of the Dominion.

STATEMENT TO PRESS. The following statement, covering the proceedings held in committee yesterday afternoon after the Minister had replied to questions, was supplied to the Press last night:— "In the afternoon, the conference gave consideration to the policy speech which had been delivered by the Minister of Customs and Finance, Mr Nash, on the Wednesday, and recorded its views on a number of aspects of that speech. It then discussed the replies which Mr Nash had made to the conference on the questions which had been prepared and presented to him.

“A vote of thanks was accorded to the Minister for his explanation of the policy of the Government and for his helpful replies to many of the ques-

tions which had been asked him on points of procedure under the import regulations. The Minister’s replies to several important questions, the object of which was to get disclosure of the details of the Government’s poliqy. were regarded by the conference as being completely unsatisfactory and it was decided that they should be the subject of further representations. FEARS OF DISLOCATION.

“The conference then went on to deal with the second part of its agenda, namely, the question of the desirability or otherwise of the import regulations as a means of conserving London funds. The whole position, as revealed by the policy speech of the Minister, and his replies to questions on administration, was reviewed. The disastrous (Continued on Page 7.)