IMPORT TRADERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1939, Page 7

IMPORT TRADERS

STRONG PROTEST AGAINST RESTRICTIONS SUPPORT SOUGHT IN BRITAIN. DEMAND FOR INQUIRY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Resolutions urging the Government to remove the present drastic restrictions on imports from the United Kingdom and to institute immediately a public inquiry into the underlying causes of the depletion of London funds were adopted unanimously at a general meeting of the United Kingdom Manufacturers and New Zealand Representatives’ Association in Wellington yesterday. It was also decided to ask trade associations in the United Kingdom for urgent support of the first objective.

The resolutions passed were: — “(1.) That this meeting of New Zealand representatives of manufacturers in the United Kingdom convened by the United Kingdom Manufacturers and New Zealand Representatives' Association, strongly urges the New Zealand Government to remove the present drastic restrictions (in many cases up to 100 per cent) on imports from the United Kingdom, thus implementing the Ottawa agreement by giving to United Kingdom, products full opportunity of reasonable competition on this market.

"It is submitted in' justification of this resolution,” said the council, “that the figures of trade between the United Kingdom and New Zealand prove that .here is a surplus of New Zealand exports to. over New Zealand imports from, the United Kingdom, and that there should be no necessity for the drastic discrimination of, and embargoes on, imports from the United Kingdom, which is the greatest market for New Zealand primary produce, and at the present time is carrying a tremendous burden of rearmament for the Empire. “(2) That the charge of over-importa-tion from the United Kingdom cannot be substantiated and that the New Zealand Government be requested to institute a public inquiry into the underlying causes of the depletion of London funds.

“(3) That the position in which United Kingdom exporters and their New Zealand representatives and importers are now placed, through the restrictions and embargoes on United Kingdom goods, be placed forthwith before interested associations in the United Kingdom, with a strong request for urgent support to resolution No. 1. The meeting endorsed a suggestion that the Government should be asked in the meantime to amend the licensing procedure so that one licence total would cover all goods coming from any one country and not on the restricted list.