IMPRACTICABLE.

Auckland Star, 2 September 1933, Page 11

IMPRACTICABLE.

cheese to butter. "change-over ,, suggestion. VIEWS OP INDUSTRY. There is no possibility of the ■ dairy industry in New Zealand considering the cabled suggeetions that Dominion producers should abandon the manufacture of cheese and confine their activities exclusively to butter production, according to authoritative opinions expressed today. It is understood that a "change-over" proposal was advanced by the primaryproducing representativee of the British delegation to the Ottawa Conference, but it was not taken seriously hv the New delegates, who regarded it more in the light of a joke. It was, however, pointed out to the British delegates that large sums of money were invested in the cheese industry in New Zealand, and that no proposal had been made concerning the underwriting of the outstanding liabilities. Discussing the matter this morning, the- representative of one large producing and exporting organisation said that whereas most of the cheese factories in the Waikato had been practically paid for, the position was not the same in Taranaki. Experience with small factories was th,at in many instances the buildings were worn out "before payment of all the liabilities was completed. Apart from other, considerations, the capital sunk- in the industry wae an insurmountable barrier to consideration of the "change-over" suggestion.

. "The Only Way Out." "Instead of worrying over questions such as this," said another authority, "we should , concentrate -on the. protection of our markets by taking more {Manufactured goods from Britain. That is: the only way out. If we lower our tariff harriers against the entry of United Kingdom goods, we need have no worry. ■ By making our market attractive to Britain, the British manufacturers will not ajlow the Home agriculturists to get on top of them, eo to It would be just as uneconomic for Britain to produce butter and cheeee in a big way ae it k for New Zealand to produce its own clothing and boots. The United Kingdom is the only market for our cheese—the Eaet does not want it—and we can hold'it'by increasing our purchases from the Old Country. There the agriculturist is a. secondary figure; pride'of place is occupied by the manufacturing, banking, shipping and insurance interests. England is prepared to buy its food from 'us, provided payment can be made in goods. We need not give another moment's consideration to the quota issue or other restrictive proposals o'nce we take down our tariff wall againstP'British manufactures."