AMID UPROAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 7

AMID UPROAR.

BUTTER DEBATE. RESTRICTION PLAN. Was Britain Or New Zealand The Author? ROW AT CANBERRA. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 10.30 a.m.) CANBERRA, this day. Another heated discussion in the House of Representatives on the proposed restriction of butter exports ended only when the closure was, applied amid uproar. Both Mr. J. H. Scullin (Federal Labour) and Mr. J. A. Beasley (Langite) accused the Government of attempting to mislead the House. Mr. B. H. Corser (Country party) said the House had not been informed by the Attorney-General, Mr. J. G. Latham, of the real position in regard to butter'. The original proposal for a restriction of exports of Bominion butter originated in Great Britain, he said, and he quoted New Zealand Press reports of strong opposition by the Dominion Government and the New Zealand Dairy Board to any restriction. Mr. Latham replied that this did not alter the fact that his statement of Tuesday, that the British Government had exerted no pressure upon the Commonwealth Government, and actually that negotiations had been opened by the New Zealand Government, was correct. He was at a loss to understand why Mr. Corser should go out of his way to make charges of deceit. N.Z. Plan to Restrict Foreign. The Minister added that he had given the House the facts as stated by Mr. S. M. Bruce, Minister in London. On January 20 the Resident Minister sent a message to the' Government that the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. J. H. Thomas, the High Commissioner of New Zealand, Sir Thomas Wilford, and himself had discussed the proposal made by New Zealand for a 25 per cent restriction on imports into Britain of foreign butter. .Mr. Beasley: Yes, that is on foreign butter ? Mr. Latham: That is how the discussion began. The question then was: How could the restrictions be imposed upuii foreign butter without some restriction on Dominion butter? There had been an amazing Press propaganda about Britain attempting to dictate to the Dominions, but there had been no such attempt made. Mr. Scullin said that Mr. Latham had stated quite definitely that the question of restricting exports to Britain had been raised by the New Zealand Government. His own impression now was that New Zealand raised the question of restricting . foreign imports, and in response to that request Britain suggested that the Dominions should share in the restriction. Adjournment Moved. Mr. Scullin asked Mr. Latham whether his statement was not intended to give the impression only that the suggestion for a restriction of the Dominions produce came from New Zealand. Mr. Latham: It meant what it said. Mr. Beasley said that Mr. Scullin had exposed what actually happened. If no pressure had been applied to the Control Board in Australia, why had the board carried a resolution asking the Government to stay its hand while it consulted with the !New Zealand producers 1 Mr. Latham said that information had been supplied to the board on the butter production in Britain, Europe, Austialia and New Zealand. There was uproar when the Minister of Health, Mr. C. W. Marr, moved that the debate be adjourned. The motion was agreed to by 29 to 22 votes. Six of the Country party and two Independents voted with Federal and Lang Labour against the motion.