BRITISH GOVERNMENT BEEF PROPOSALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 127, 31 May 1935, Page 7

BRITISH GOVERNMENT BEEF PROPOSALS.

hope of agreement

Scheme is Departure from

White Paper.

EMPIRE and foreign levies

(United r.A— Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11.30 n.m.) LONDON, May 30. A conference of British and Dominion Ministers and experts this forenoon surveyed the beef plan submitted by the British Government in the hope of solving the previous impasse. After an hour's discussion the details were referred to the whole of the experts, who sat in the afternoon, and will hold further meetings and report to their respective delegations. Afterwards the full conference will again meet. It seems there is general agreement that it is the most promising proposal yet submitted, antl it has kindled strong hopes of an equitable agreement. The Australian Tress Association learns that to-day's talks opened up a new situation. The British Ministers suggested proposals varying, in important directions, those set out in the White Paper. Britain proposed that there should be a levy 011 imported Empire chilled beef of id per lb with ljd per lb on foreign chilled, and smaller levies, differentiating between Empire and foreign supplies, on frozen beef. This quite changes the White Paper proposals, which were |d on Empire beef and Id on foreign. It is understood that the Argentine, despite the provisions of her trade agreement restricting Australia and New Zealand to experimental Shipments only of chilled lieef, has consented to the Dominions being allowed to substitute chilled for frozen, to the fullest extent practicable within their quotas. Mr. J. G. Coates voiced New Zealand's strong objection to the imposition of any tariffs by Britain on Empire food products, tlie New Zealand feeling being that it was a dangerous precedent which might 'lead ultimately to taxation of other Empire foods like dairy produce. New Zealand strongly favoured t'lit the situation be met entirely by quantitative restrictions.