EX-PREMIER OF VICTORIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 234, 3 October 1932, Page 11

EX-PREMIER OF VICTORIA.

CAUSTIC VIEWS ON OTTAWA. INFLUENCE OF ARGENTINA. The former Labour Premier of Victoria, the Hon. E. J. Hogan, who was travelling in Europe when his Government was defeated at the State elections in May, arrived by the Aorangi from Vancouver yesterday on his way back to Melbourne. He was accompanied by Mrs. Hogan.

While he declined to discuss his plans on his return to Australia, Mr. Hogan was outspoken in his criticism of the agreements reached at the Ottawa Conference. "The mysterious influence of Russia and of British vested interests in the Argentine were over them all," he said. "Some Australian primary producers will receive slight benefits, but the Australian and New Zealand producers of frozen meat will get no advantage at all. • British capitalists pulled more weight at Ottawa for the Argentine than Messrs. Tout and Angliss, the official advisers of the Australian pastoral and frozen meat interests pulled for Australia. "More British capital is invested in Australia than in the Argentine," said Mr. Hogan. "The greater part of British capital invested in the Commonwealth is in the form of Government loans, and the Australian taxpayers are responsible for their repayment and the interest thereon. . Consequently the only concern some British investors take in Australia is what they collect half-yearly. They 'bite the hand that feeds them' by calling us defaulters, instead of defending us against that calumny. "The 'Noes' Had It." "On the other hand, British investors in the Argentine and in other South American private enterprises .know they will receive low dividends on their investments if Britain imposes a Customs tariff on Argentine frozen and chilled meats entering Britain. So they said 'no' to tlic proposal to do that at Ottawa, and as the British investors in Australia were not sufficiently interested or grateful to say 'yes,' the 'noes' had it, and the proposed duties on meat imported from South America into Britain were not agreed to. "Mr. Baldwin, the leader of the British delegation, was 100 per cent English, and when conferring with the Australian delegates, who were only 50 per cent Australian, he was unable to obtain more preference for British manufactures without giving Australia a preferential tariff over Argentine frozen mutton, lamb and beef. This he was not permitted to do. Australia and New Zealand producers, therefore, are denied the advantage they expected and were entitled to receive, and they continue getting nothing for their frozen mutton and beef which is sold in the Smithfield market. "The actual price for which Australian frozen mutton was sold at Smithfield at the end of July was insufficient to meet the selling and handling charges in England and the transport charges from the farm in Australia by train and boat to England. This state of affairs was neither righted nor relieved at Ottawa. It should be righted, but to do so Australia needs 100 per cent support from all her sons and daughters, and reasonable support from those others who, although their homes' and hearts may be elsewhere, are nevertheless getting their living from Australia."