BITTER COMMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 172, 24 July 1933, Page 7

BITTER COMMENT.

"EMPIRE DUMPING."

Campaign in Britain for Cut in

Dominion Imports.

MIL. FORBES' DIFFICULT TASK

(United I».A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, July 23,

; The "Evening Star" has bitter ■ things to say of what it terms 1 "Empire dumping." It refers in an , editorial article to the recent debate - j in the House of Lords and to Earl de 1 la War's statement in reply. The paper says: "The earl's feeble answer to the cynical mockery of Empire ' J trade was to issue threats and warnings ■ of what may happen when the Ottawa 1 agreements expire, though by that time this evil system of colonial dumping may have done its fell work and put British producers beyond the capacity 1 to come back." The "Star" also publishes a cartoon showing a "Knight of Empire Free T'ade" crushed to the ground by an 1 "Empire dumping" sack. This attitude ' of the "Star" toward Dominion trade is typical of a good deal of other prevalent 1 comment. Particularly strong attacks were made ' on the British Government at a meeting in Yorkshire of the executive of the ' National Farmers' Union. A resolution was carried unanimously to the effect that the Minister of Agriculture, Major W. E. Elliot, be urged to obtain immediately further substantial restrictions on the importation of live and dead meats in order to avert the present ruinous prices of home-produced meat. New Zealand can gather from this the difficult task which is confronting its Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Mr. G. W. Forbes, and Mr. R. Masters. The "Birmingham Gazette" says the peculiarity of the Economic Conference is that most of its important work is being done outside the framework of the conference itself. It says a serious disagreement arose between the British delegation and representatives of the Dominions' delegations on the question of quotas and other restrictions at the meetings with the Cabinet in Whitehall. The paper continues: It is understood that the British Government is pressing very strongly for the maintenance of the new policy of quotas for all forms of dairy produce, which policy is being as strongly opposed by New Zealand and Australia. It is argued on behalf of the British Government that preference in the case of butter has had the effect of permitting prices to go down, "therefore," says the paper, "it is understood that the British Government intends to proceed with a wider use of the quota restriction as a means of securing a general increase in price levels. "The New Zealand representatives urged the British Government to present definite proposals for dealing with various commodities to which it desires to apply quotas. It is understood that the British delegation so far lias not agreed to do this." QUOTA CRITICISED. Consequences Adverse to N.Z. Dairyman. DR. ANNETT'S VIEWS. (from Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. Dr. H. E. Annett, of Matangi, in discussing the position of the dairy farmer, said: "There seems to be more than a possibility that a quota may be applied to our exports of produce to Britain." He added that it was interesting to' speculate as to the way in which the quota would be applied. If it meant that every individual farmer's production would have to be cut down, it would be particularly severe on the man who had to spend money ar.d energy in attempting to improve his farming conditions and increase liis per-aere production. It must be remembered, too, that when farmers borrowed on mortgage they had no expectation that restric- ■ tions would be put to the amount of their production. The idea that as a result of a quota prices would rise was pure speculation, Dr. Annett continued. In any case, any rise in prices would bring margarine i more into competition with butter, | Actual limitation on individual produc- . tion would be such a setback to progress that it was hardly conceivable that any , Government could take action in this way. The Government might take over j all produce and dispose of the surplus j outside the quota in other markets at j cheap rates or dump it into the sea. In the former case the presence of a large quantity of cheap butter in the world would inevitably break down any quota system. The quota might be applied in such a 1 way that it might make for higher quality. It was absolutely essential that New Zealand should put on the market produce of the highest quality. Dr. Annett said if only New Zealand would | adopt all the year round milking, ,she would be able to market fairly fresh j butter all the year in the same way as the Danes did. If the cows were 1 milked throughout the year there would 1 not be a big difference in the keeping \ qualities of the butter produced at ' different times of the year.