DAIRY PRODUCE OUTLOOK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 228, 26 September 1922, Page 3

DAIRY PRODUCE OUTLOOK.

BIG OPENING IN AMERICA. THE FORDXEY TARIFF. The advantage of having moTe than one market for New Zealand dairy produce needs not to be emphasised. The collapse in London in the price of butter at the beginning of last season "Ssls ample evidence of the advisability oi having more than one market available for New Zealand produce. It is therefore of interest to .record that a big San Francisco firm wrote a couple of months ago to an Auckland business man as follows: —"If ne eouild get exclusive Tights from Xew Zealand pro-jdiuoe-ra to sell butter in the United j States it would help everyone and •we | could' definitely handle a.ll the butter New Zealand would ship, and wotid- arrange to buy the output, and will give cat;i ;for the poods." Mr. F. >S. Morton, of the firm of J. jT. and V. S. Morton and Co.. Queen Street, was seen by a "StaT" -representative this morning regarding the prospect for opening 'up a big market for New ZeaJand butter in the United | States. Mr. Morton was in- America when the Fordney Tariff Emergency- Bill (ami" into effect in 1!>21. He has some copies of the "Bulletin-," San Francisco, in which the question of New Zealand I .butter for that market is dealt with. I Some of the headings are aimus'i'ng as snegegsting direct barter in goods between America and New Zealand. "Tlere a lumk <vf cheese for a patent fly swatter" U a sample as indicating tJhe idea of exchanging manufactured articles for New Zealand butter and cheese. "Seems funny, doesn't it," adds j the writer, "but it's the omly way for New Zealand." j "It is an important matter to open /up a market for our dairy produce in I the United States," said Mr. Morton, i "There, is a population of 110,000,000 in I America, and what I feel, after the drop in the butter market at the opening of last season, is that we wajit two strings to our bow. It does not do to be entirely dependent upon the London market, now that our dairy industry is assuming such large proportions." THE FORDXEY TARIFF BILL. "I was touring the United States in 1021 when the Fordney Tariff Bill was under consideration. I was address, ing various Chambers of Commerce at the time to try and introduce New Zealand butter and cheese on that market. It was brought under my notice that under the Fordney Tariff Bill a duty of threepence per pound would be imposed on imported butter. As I am interested in the butter business in New Zealand, I wrote to Washington asking for an interview with the Comilittee to which the Tariff Bill had been referred. I rectived a letter from the secretary to the President asking mc to come to Washington. I went there and saw Mr* •I. W, Fordney, the father of the bill. He was chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He frankly told mc he was doing his best to protect the producers of America against what he termed a commercial ring. T pointed out to him that New Zealand bought largely of manufactured goods from America, and only wanted to send primary products in exchange: also that, owing to the different seasons in the two countries, our butter and cheese would not compete with that made in America, therefore there should be a reciprocal clause in the tariff in favour of our primary products, so that we could pay with them for what we bought from the States. Mr. Fordney admitted the force of the argument, and favoured a reciprocal clause in the Bill, whereby an arrangement could be entered into between the two Governments. The clause was included in the bill as suggested, but unfortunately was never brought into effect by either Government. That was, of course, an emergency bill_ 1 have an idea that cher=e will be introduced in the new Tariff Bill, and if it is I hope out Government will see that it is given effect to. so that there will be a new market for our butter and cheese in the United State*.**