Following earlier actions taken by the Government to control internal investment and avoid undue diversion of national resources to purposes not helpful to the war effort, regulations for the control of imports from non-Sterling countries became effective from December 1. They are designed to conserve resources in non-Sterling exchange, more particularly by restricting imports of goods not considered essential under existing conditions. Goods classed as non-essential and consequently placed in the prohibited list include alcoholic liquors, various foodstuffs, manufactured tobacco, piece-goods, floor-coverings, metals, various metal manufactures and machinery, motor parts, certain tools, paints, and some chemicals. The restrictions do not apply to goods, which were in transit to Australia on or by December 1 and will arrive before February 29. Licences will be issued permitting import of goods on order under letters of credit established before December 1. Some elasticity of control will be permitted for certain seasonal imports, special machinery, new industrial equipment and essential commodities. For other goods classed as essential, import licences are required. The licensing control does not extend to goods originating in the Sterling area, but purchases within the Empire are subject to some oversight through the operations of the Exchange Control insti-futed on August 28. Canada, New-found land and Hongkong are not included in the Sterling area, and goods from those countries are subject to the restrictions which apply to foreign countries. At the time he made the announcement the Minister for Customs stated that further restrictions appeared inevitable.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.