IMPORT CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 September 1943, Page 2

IMPORT CONTROL

LICENSING CONDITIONS EIGHTH PERIOD APPLICATIONS STATEMENT BY MINISTER. NO FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE. The basis on which applications for licences to import goods during the eighth licensing period, which relates to the calendar year 1944, will be considered, is set out in a schedule which has now been released for public information. The Acting Minister of Customs (Mr Nordmeyer) states that no fundamental change has been made in the basis on which licences have been granted for the seventh period (1943). The necessity, however, to programme requirements, particularly from the United States, and to make some goods the subject of bulked Government orders, has resulted in an additional number of items being included in the “MS” category, i.e., they are subject to arrangement by the Ministry of Supply for procurement, and licences to private traders may not be granted. The most noteworthy goods within this group are medical, surgical and dental supplies. The arrangement respecting these goods has already been made known to those interested in their importation. All applications for licences to import goods from the United States, irrespective of whether a basic allocation is indicated in the schedule, will be subject to review in relation to the programme of requirements for imports from that'country, and for that purpose it is necessary for the applicant to furnish wtih his application information as to qualities and specific classes of goods which he proposes to import if his application is granted. Similar information is required respecting goods included in “control” items to be imported from countries other than the United States. It will be necessary also in respect of textiles of cotton, rayon and wool to make application for licences for specific classes of goods, the quantity of which must be specified in weight and square yards. Similar particulars will be required respecting imports of such goods in 1942 by the applicant. Copies of a special form on which this information is to be supplied can be had from Collectors of Customs. The new procedure respecting these goods is being adopted in order that information may be available as to the specified types and quantities of goods ordered and imported. This is considered necessary not only for the purpose of programming as required by the authorities in the United Kingdom and the United States, but also for the purpose of ensuring that the types of goods required to meet the needs of the community within the rationing and stabilisation policy are being procured. As in previous periods, the licences for the seventh period have been extended and made valid for imports until June 30, 1944. This applies, however, only to seventh period licences issued originally as such, and not to sixth period licences which were extended to the seventh period. Printed copies of the schedule, which contain explanatory notes outlining the position, may be obtained from Collectors of Customs.