DAIRY PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 68, 20 March 1936, Page 11

DAIRY PRODUCE

THE HOME MARKET

NEW ZEALAND'S PLACE

MR. SAVAGE PLEASED

The contents of the cablegram published yesterday suggesting that the Dominions, especially Australia and New Zealand, would secure a greater share of Britain's dairy imports in the future were the subject of comment by the Prime Minister (the Hon. M. J. Savage), who expressed satisfaction at the likely turn of events.

"I think it is splendid that the Dominions should be brought closer together in the matter of trade," Mr. Savage said, "and that the British Government contemplates giving the Dominions a larger share of its import market. If we are going to discuss preferential trade within the Empire, this is the sort of thing that must happen. There is no use talking'Of mutual trade within the Empire and- then working out agreements with other countries. That certainly is not helpful."

Mr. Savage said the new viewpoint of the British Government, brought about apparently by a breakdown in the negotiations with Denmark and by the latter country's recent trade agreement with Germany, strengthened his view that there should be permanent facilities for Empire discussions on trade matters. The different countries of the British Commonwealth ought to be in a position to discuss matters at any stage. The setting up of something in the nature of a permanent Empire council could remove many of the difficulties which were at present encountered.

It was not yet clear, Mr. Savage continued, whether New Zealand would be invited to participate in a conference on the future of the British dairymarket. The belief in the past had been that the whole subject would come up for discussion at the expiry of the British Government's agreements with Denmark and the Argentine. Both these agreements expired this year, but so far no invitation had been received by the New Zealand Government to make any representations regarding the future. It was not known whether some form of conference might be called this year or whether the whole matter might be held in abeyance until next year, when the coronation of King Edward and the holding of an Imperial Conference would mean the presence of a large gathering of Empire statesmen in London.

"At the present the situation in Europe overshadows everything," Mr. Savage concluded. "The British Government has kept us closely/ informed of all developments, and it seems to me that one result of it all will be that all the countries of the British Commonwealth will be brought closer together."