SHEEP-OWNERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 295, 26 September 1935, Page 4

SHEEP-OWNERS

DUTY ON EXPORTED SKIN WOOL.

NO ACTION IN BRITAIN. .

(Special to the “Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day,

The executive of the Canterbury Sheep-owners’ Union met yesterday. The president (Mr E. Hay) occupied the chair.

The Minister for Industries and Commerce wrote advising the receipt of a cablegram from the High Commissioner, regarding the application by tho British fellmongering interests, for a 10 per cent, import duty to be imposed on foreign skin wools entering Brita'in. The message, which definitely disposes of any difficulties which might have arisen for New Zealand sheep-owners, through the imposition of this duty,, reads as follows: “With reference to my telegram of April 18, Import Duty Advisory Committee has decided to take no action legarding British fellmongers’ application mentioned.”

Gratification was expressed by several speakers at the result of the representations made through the department, and the meeting recorded its appreciation of the department’s prompt attention and the efficient way in which the High Commissioner’s Office had dealt with the matter. There would have been a corresponding reduction in prices for woolly skins from New Zealand and Australia had the fellmongering interests been successful in obtaining the tariff asked for. The president and secretary were appointed to represent the union at a conference of representatives of proaucers’ organisations in the North and Mid-Canterbury districts, to deal with the representation of producers on -she electoral college of the Meat Producers’ Board. Sheep Stealing. The president reported on the results of the Meat Board election, and explained the meat export position as set out *by Mr T. A. Duncan and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. It was resolved to request Mr Duncan (chairman. of the Meat Board), to arrange, If pos-. sible, to address farmers’ meetings in the South Island along the lines followed by him in his address to the electoral delegates at the Meat Board's annual meeting, on the discussions at the meat conference in London. The secretary, reported that the Justice Department had advised that cases of alleged wool and sheep stealing will, in future, be brought before a stipendiary magistrate and treated as indictable. The report was received and it was agreed, in view of the admittedly easy way in which this class of theft can be carried out, and the comparatively unprotected nature of the farmers’ property, that it was necessary to treat this class of offence as one of the most serious in the calendar. The necessity for the greatest possible attention being given to the supervision of night transport traffic generally was emphasised. The secretary stated that the Minister for Justice was fully in sympathy with the requests made. He also stated that the standing reward of £IOO to the person obtaining conviction of any person or persons upon a charge of stealing sheep, the property of a member of the union, was still being offered by the union.