EMBARGO ON STOCK

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 8 October 1936, Page 16

EMBARGO ON STOCK

REMOVAL SUGGESTED.

IN INTERESTS OF TRADE,

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A resolution that in tlio interests of progressive trade with New Zealand the Dominion Government should be asked to reconsider, and if thought fit remove forthwith, the embargo on the importation of live stock from Britain, was carried unanimously by the congress of tlio Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire to-day. The mover, Sir Albert Atkey (Nottingham), said he understood this restriction upon "trado between the Mother Country and New Zealand was established in the first instance because of the fear that foot-and-mouth disease might be imported into New Zealand, but it never had been and the agriculcultural authorities in Britain thought it was a false alarm. Sir Albert stressed the quarantine and inspection system at Home, and said that as a matter of fact animals could always come into New Zealand by a detour, _as for instance, by Australia, if an importer was prepared to pay the extra cost. There was always a way of getting behind an Act of Parliament. "Irritating" Restriction. They were looking to the Government of New Zealand to take a very catholic view of the situation which this irritating embargo created, added Sir Albert. Lord Bledisloe, when in New Zealand, did his best to persuade the Government to relax the restriction, and was still advocating it. Sir Albert concluded by saying that lie could find no strong feeling existent, except one for the raising of the embargo. The seconder was Mr. C. A. L. Treadwcll, acting as delegate for Hongkong, following which the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agriculture, addressed the congress on the subject. The Minister said lie was a working farmer and saw things largely from the point of view of the working farmer. The farmers had felt that many times they had been sacrificed on the altar of commerce; rightly or wrongly, that was their point of view. Mr. Lee Martin proceeded to the economic situation from the New Zealand farmer's point of view in regard to the embargo itself and the resolution before the congress. He said that no doubt the Government would take steps to have an investigation made, and if the situation warranted it he thought he could say definitely on the the part of the Government, that the embargo would be removed. They had, however, to be satisfied that in removing it they were doing the right thing. Investigation Promised. The Minister reminded the congress that the present Government had been in office only a short time and had been dealing with important legislation, so that it had not had the opportunity of dealing with this particular question, which he had no doubt from what he had read and from letters he had received, was in some parts of Britain a burning question. After tracing the political history of the embargo the Minister said New Zealand was a dairying country, and there was a strong feclin"- that the embargo should not be removed. The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, had been supplied with all the information available and would investigate the whole position while in the Homeland. Mr. Lee Martin made no secret of the fact that expert officers of the Agricultural Department were strongly in favour of the removal of the embargo, but he warned his hearers that experts often made mistakes. The fullest investigation would be made, and if the removal could be made with- ] out danger the Government would do what was best in the interests of all concerned. The resolution was strongly opposed bv Mr. A. A. Ross (Auckland), who, said the farmers of New Zealand, by a large majority, were in favour of maintaining the restrictions. j The motion was put to the vote and carried.