TRADE RESTRICTIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 October 1940, Page 6

TRADE RESTRICTIONS

PROTEST BY IMPORTERS MESSAGE FROM BIRMINGHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. BRITISH MANUFACTURERS ANXIOUS TO EXPORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The United Kingdom Manufacturers and New Zealand Representatives’ Association has received the following cablegram from the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce: “United Kingdom manufacturers are able and anxious to export to New Zealand. They are, however, gravely disappointed at the severity of the import restrictions, as well as with regard to the ungenerous time limit imposed for the fourth period. Shipping conditions consequent upon the war justify latitude by the New Zealand Government who. if they understand the conditions fully, know that United Kingdom exports are vital to the successful prosecution of the war.” Commenting on the message, Mr E. A. Christie, president of the U.K. Manufacturers’ and New Zealand Representatives’ Association, said the cablegram dispelled any doubt regarding the ability and desire of U.K. manufacturers and exporters to supply this market and emphasised that New Zealand must import from the United Kingdom to the fullest possible extent in order to respond to the U.K. export drive. Unfortunately, New Zealand restrictions on U.K. imports for 1941 would prevent a full response to the urgent demands of U.K. manufacturers for more exports. It was evident that the ruling that licences to import goods would expire on December 31 if the goods had not arrived in New Zealand by that date was viewed with general disapproval and disappointment by British manufacturers. The cablegram must cause New Zealanders to wonder whether import restrictions by prohibiting importation, no less than 320 tariff items and subitems out of a total of 632, was in step with the United Kingdom battle-cry, “Export or expire—Britain delivers the goods.”