EMPIRE MEAT SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 135, 9 June 1932, Page 10

EMPIRE MEAT SUPPLY.

POLICY FOR OTTAWA. PROSPECT OF AGREEMENT. MARKET FOR DOMINIONS. After discussions lasting for some months, tho different meat interests of the British Empire and of Britain herself have agreed 011 a common policy for submission to the Ottawa Conference. There is thus every prospect that the conference will result in an agreement 011 tho question of Empire meat. Making this announcement in Christchurch, the chairman of the Meat Producers' Board, Mr. David Jones, said that since the Dominion's exports of meat and wool represented exactly half its total exports, Now Zealand farmers would bo vitally interested in the decisions of the conference. "A United Policy." "My board," he continued, "has been actively engaged for some months in endeavouring to bring together tho various parts of the Empire producing meat for export, and has now secured a united policy for the Empire, including tho British farmers. "It is unlikely that Britain will increase her Home supplies of mutton, lamb, and beef. Her sheep stocks have been barely maintained in recent years, while for some time her cattle have been almost stationary. The wheat quota, will givo the British farmer a guarantee J price for increased quantities of homegrown wheat, and this increase of tiie area under the plough will tend towards a reduction of meat production. Growth of Production. "The reverse is the case as far as. the Empire is concerned. The totM from all sources of mutton and lamb arriving in Britain in 1928 was 15,253,048 carcases. New Zealand and Australia, alone will probably supply this year more mutton and lamb than I'ritain imported from all sources in L)2B. As Britain is the only market that really counts, we must endeavour to make such arrangements as will ensure a market for our own rapidlyexpuiuling production." Although meat is still admitted into Great Britain free of duty, the British. Cabinet has lately been given authority to remove any commodity from the freo list without consulting Parliament The meat exporting countries of the Empire have evidently some hope that this authority may be used to their advantage.