MEAT FOR BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 85, 20 January 1938, Page 9

MEAT FOR BRITAIN

NEW ZEALAND AND ITS QUOTA. PREMIER REPLIES TO CRITIC. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 19. If the English market needs more New Zealand meat and can give an assurance of a steady demand at the higher rate the New Zealand Government will undertake to meet its requirements. This was plainly stated by the Prime Minister m an interview this evening when commenting on the allegations from England that New Zealand was not sending the quota of meat promised. Mr Savage was shown the message from London in w Inch Mr C. A. Coggan (president of the National Federation of Meat Trades), said that instead of sending the quota promised “they (New Zealand iaimers) refrained from killing sheep because they found wool more valuable than meat.” Mr Coggan suggested that the time had come for the Home Government to move for substantial increases in import quotas. “This is the first I have heard that such a position exists,” said the Prime Minister. “I do not know that we are on strike against killing meat. I think we could undertake to increase our business with Great Britain. lr she is bursting to do that we will undertake to make arrangements that will he worthwhile. If they want more meat from us, if we have any guarantee of an increased market with, a sustained demand, we will make provision accordingly. I think the Government could manage that all right. Vo would want a guarantee of a sustained increase because it would not do for us to be asked to meet a heavily increased demand and then find the bottom drop out of the market suddenly.”