MEAT AGREEMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 269, 27 August 1935, Page 3

MEAT AGREEMENT

BRITAIN’S GENEROSITY

(Special to the “Guardian.”)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. “The meat settlement,” declared the Prime Minister, in a pie-sessional address at Rangiora last evening, “is a very generous recognition of New Zealand’s claims and compared with the drastic restrictions and the levy first proposed by tlie British Government, it represents a creditable achievement.”

The Prime Minister explained at length the progress or the negotiations between the New Zealand delegation and the Imperial . authorities. He mentioned the difficulties confronting the Home Government in its anxiety to protect British agriculture and he gave details of the most favourable meat agreement that had been conducted. “We have received ail allocation which will admit of an increase in production, and allow for expansion in an ordered market which should ensure steady and even rising prices. We in New Zealand need not despair of an expanding share in the British market. The consumption of food in Great Britain has by no means reached saturation point, there has been a remarkable improvement in recent years in the standard of living, and, more important still, the country is more' prosperous and purchasing power is returning.” The Prime Minister said he was satisfied that New Zealand had received every consideration from the United Kingdom Ministers and that they were perfectly fair in all their dealings with this country and endeavoured to meet the position as far as it was practicable and consistent with their obligations under treaties with other countries, and in the interests of their own farmers. Producers’ Fears Removed. For the present, the Prime Minister pointed out the fears that were haunting the primary producers of this country had been removed. In the meantime there were to be no large imposts upon New Zealand’s primary produce entering the United Kingdom, and there was to be no restriction upon the production of the commodities upon which New Zealand’s prosperity depends. For the present New Zealand’s farmers could proceed with confidence on the lines to which they had been accustomed and when the question again had to be faced they could again expect the completely! sympathetic consideration of those responsible in the United Kingdom. “Before I leave this aspect of the discussion,” commented > the Prime Minister, “I would like to refer with great pleasure to the very high regard in which the people of New Zealand are held in the Old Country, and the complete confidence that was at all times accorded to us. At no time was the sincerity of the sentiments which we were called upon.to express questioned in any degree, and jit no time was there any question of the bona fides of our representatives or of our most earnest desire to work in the closest accord and sympathy with our kinsfolk in the Old Land. The name of New Zealand continues to stand high in the United Kingdom. This waft a source of real pride to me and will be, I am sure, to all the people of this Dominion, and it should be our aim and endeavour to maintain this high regard by every means in our power. In any future negotiations on this, or . indeed, any other subject, we must continue to pay tlio fullest regard to the necessities and the exigencies of the British people, They in their turn will, I know, give us the same sympathetic attention and consideration as they extended to us in such ample measure during the negotiations just concluded.”