RUIN OF PLENTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 263, 5 November 1932, Page 9

RUIN OF PLENTY.

MEAT TRADE CRISIS.

Reported Revival of War-Time

Control.

FARMER'S SERIOUS POSITION.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, November 4. The "Daily Express" states that the Government has decided to revive practically the war-time control of the meat industry. It says it proposes to establish 22 public abattoirs, chill British beef like that of Argentina and control the wholesale prices.

The "Daily Telegraph" says Mr. Neville Chamberlain candidly admits that the position as regards meat has become worse since the Ottawa Conference, where a further fall in prices was never expected. The glut is mainly a Dominions' glut, since imports from New Zealand and Australia alone rose from 4,394,000cwt in 1929 to 6,500 000 cwt in 1931.

For those who live by raising stock, whether here, or in the Dominions, these figures do not represent plenty but ruin. Never were the fatal consequences of an unregulated supply more vividly illustrated, says the paper.

In the House of Lords Lord Cranworth initiated a debate on the state of agriculture in Britain. He asked why the Government was sticking to the meat quota when the Dominions did not want it.

A duty of 2d a lb on foreign meat would bring in £25,000,000 a year. This would be a reasonable duty to begin with.

Earl de la Warr, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, in replying, said that to lend the farmers more money on the still falling market would be of very doubtful use. Fdreigners must realise the uselessness Of throwing supplies on this saturated market.

It was hoped to place meat imports on a more permanent and orderly basis.

Lord Cranworth said le was disappointed with the rjply.

Lord de la Warr added that the Ottawa meat arrangement was of a temporary character. The Government proposed a world meat conference in 1033 to put the arrangement on a permanent basis. Nobody realised how soon it would be necessary to take this step which could not have been attempted but for what was done at Ottawa.

SECRET AGREEMENT.

LABOUR PAPER'S STORY,

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

LONDON, November 4,

The "Daily Herald" states that a secret agreement between the British Board of Trade and South American meat exporters is causing the Government embarrassment. The pact, which is to operate for 18 months from the New Year, has been published at Buenos Ayres. It permits the Freight Conference to import meat into Britain on the basis of Argentina's imports in the period June, 1931-June, 1932.

"The firms concerned already have divided up the spoils," says the "Herald." "Should the British Government give way tp the rebel Conservative members of the House of Commons the Argentine negotiations must be revised."

It appears that the agreement alluded to is a direct result of the Australian agreement at Ottawa under which, from January 1, foreign lamb and beef would be reduced 10 per cent on the 1932 figures, increasing to 35 per cent the reduction by the middle of 1934. Australia meanwhile agreed not to increase the beef exports more than 10 per cent. The South Americans have since agreed to Britain's suggestion to voluntarily accept a reduction and avoid the use of the compulsory powers.

WORLD MEAT.

CONFERENCE TO BE HELD,

(Received 12.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, November 4.

Agreement has been reached between the British Government and the great South American meat exporting firms under which the latter undertake voluntarily to reduce exports of meat to Britain on the lines suggested at Ottawa. By the Ottawa agreements the British Government agreed to adopt a policy with the object of raising the prices of meat to a remunerative level and progressively increasing the Dominions' share of the United Kingdom market. It has undertaken to take effective steps to secure these results.

The maximum quantities of foreign meat to be allowed to be imported into the United Kingdom were accordinglydecided upon. During the coming year and in the light of the experience gained the British Government will consider the best means of ensuring an improved price situation and a more orderly marketing of supplies.

For this purpose a world meat conference will be held next year. It is to secure restriction to the Ottawa levels of the amount of meat imported pending the formulation of a more permanent plan, after consultation with the interests concerned, that the agreement with South American exporters was reached.

N.Z. CAMPAIGN.

VIGOROUS ADVERTISING,

(Received 11 a.m.)

LONDON, November 4.

The New Zealand Meat and Dairy Boards are co-operating with Sir Thomas Wilford in a vigorous advertising campaign in South Wales, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Newcastle and on the lines of the Sheffield and Leeds ventures of 1931.