ORDER OF PREFERENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1940, Page 2

ORDER OF PREFERENCE

VARIOUS CLASSES OF IMPORTS. STATEMENT BY MR. NASH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 5. Government policy concerning the order of preference fixed for various classes of imports was stated by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, in an address to the Institute of Business Executives. He also said the United Kingdom was consulted before fresh secondary industries were established. “As far as the defence of New Zealand is concerned, all the money required for imports of this nature is a first charge and is provided at once,” the Minister said? Next came foods that could not be produced in the Dominion and medicines, and after them preference was for goods necessary to maintain primary production. The next item included raw materials and plant for secondary industry.

Mr. Nash said that while the last word was with New Zealand, the advice of the United Kingdom was sought as to whether it could help in establishing an industry, and also as to what reasons there might be for not establishing it. The degree to which preference in trade was being given to the United Kingdom was emphasised by Mr. Nash. He said, for example, that by buying table china from a certain country other than Britain, it would be possible to obtain twice as much for the money as from the United Kingdom, but the Government’s answer was “We’re buying from the United Kingdom.”

Mr. Nash said he knew there had been hardships inflicted on some very fine people and firms by import control. Regrettably, this could not be avoided, and arrangements had been made for 1941 for imports for every pound that it could be seen would be available.