HIGHER DUTY URGED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 79, 13 January 1928, Page 4

HIGHER DUTY URGED.

SHEEP FROM NEW ZEALAND.

AUSTRALIAN BREEDERS’ PLAINT-

(Per Press Association—Copyright.) ,SYDNEY, This Day. The Tariff Board has concluded the hearing of the request by the Federal Council of the Breeders of British-' Sheep for an increased duty on sheep of certain varieties. Giving evidence in support of the application, Mr David McNaught said there was lai good export trade between j New Zealand and Australia of what were known as flock rams, but unfor—tunately it was not a genuine trade. He . said that when a. New Zealand district had completed its season, and if it had any rams left ofer, it could not sell those rams in another New Zealand district, because no other district would ' have them at any price. The result was that dealers could buy them at their own price and ship them to Australia. Those rams would never fill their mission as rams to begin with,, because they were scrubs and would' not get fat lambs. This was not the only trouble, because their progeny were good for nothing. They were inferior and had not the power to fatten themselves. They were therefore not set to the market but were left here. The • result was that they were bred from again, and so deterioration went Replying to questions, witness said' that New Zealand looked upon Australia as its dumping-ground. Furthermore, there was a movement on, foot over there to prevent stud sheep of a' better class coming to Australia. >