DOMINION'S MEAT EXPORTS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20906, 13 July 1933, Page 9

DOMINION'S MEAT EXPORTS.

1 FURTHER CUT IN QUOTA. ANNOUNCEMENT IN HOUSE OF COMMONS, EFFORT TO RAISE PRICES. fCKiTr.D rnpifia association electiuc telegraph—COPYftTOHT.) (Received July }2, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. In his speech when he introduced the agricultural estimates in the House of Corpmons, Mr W. E. Elliot (Minister for Agriculture) said that the Department of Industry was examining plans for the rationing of production. Meat prices were stiU unsatisfactory and justified arrangements being made to reduce importations of chilled beef by 10,000 tons. Supplies of Australian apd New Zealand frozen muttqp and lamb were already subject to a 20 per cent, cut, which would be increased to 25 per cent- next quarter. dairy produce situation was causing grave concern. This year J§,QOO tons mope butter had been put qp the naarket than last. The price qf the Dominions' butter had fallen iron? 105 a to 755, showing the necessity pf regulating overseas supplies, they desired to do with home production.

NO ADVICE OF ANY CHANGE.

STATEMENT MR CQATB& TPRMS OP OTTAWA AGBESWENT. "I have no suggestion put to rpe about the redaction of mutton and lamb exports from New ZeaJon4," said the lit. Won, J- G- Coates night. the foregoing cable message read to him on the telephone. "The Ottawa agreement sets out definitely what is to be done, and I know of r\Q proposal for any alteration. The Frim® Minister is at Home, and also the phairman of the Meat Board, Mr and neither of them has with me to tell me of any possible change. I think it is most' unlikely that thu New Zealand delegation v.'oyld agr.ee to anything of this sortj without first' communicating with | rjne. Indeed, J know that the Zealand delation in London would immediately advise ine of any epntemplated alteration. And, as I have they have not done S". '•As to butter, I can give no infprmatmn, that I i}?)4PFStand tjiat therp have been discussions about the very heavy supplies leaping t,he Pritish mSFfcet- The nybjeet h.a s been engaging the attention of all countries. I pave had nothing to rpport concerning the butter situation. IVJr Cff9t?§'§ refprence to the pttawa agreement was to his own letter to Stanley Baldwin, which in effect get fprth thf» tppips of the agreement between Great Britain and New Zealand on meat exports. Thf relevant passage in the lettef ig *s fQUqws; "No restriction witf be plaaeg fay Majesty's Government }n the United Kingdom upon the importation of any meat from New Zealand dicing the period ending June 86, 1034." Mr H. P. Aclan4's Comment. ''ln view of the necessity of meeting our overseas obligations in curjrengy, any restriction or quota plaefd upon pur exports of real Wealth to Great Britain is regrettable," said Mr H. D. Acland, a member of the Nfw Zealand Meat JProducerg' Poard. Mr Acland said that the reduction Pf per cent, in operation at the present tjfne represented the reduction of 1Q per cent, agreed tq at the pttawa Conference, together with the additional, temporary reduction pf 10 per cent, accepted at the beginning of the season at the request of the British Government.. The further 5 per cent, restriction mem t'oned in the cabje massage was presumably, he added, a forecast of the British Government's intentions fop the ne*t quarter. ((eruptions thi« Reason. There ftave been marked reducr lions this season in the aggregate »"BpJies of Jamb and mutton avail* able from both ?Tew Zealand and Australia. The Meat Producers' Poard's figures for the J032-33 sea.|on show a decrease in the killings pf adult- sheep of 643,04? carcases, pnd an increase in the killings of iamb«f Of er>ly 359,0 Pl <?&re»SM. Acr cording to weight, the decrease was 16,715 tons, and the increase only ?585 tons. Reports from Australia indicate that ther# bavg been heavy reductions in lamping this season, and a Sydney paper has declared that therp will no ne«d to bring 4mo operation the second ?0 per cent, fegtrietion on Australian mut* ton and Jamb exports next shipping Season. EFFECT OF OTTAWA AGREEMENTS. INTERVIEW WITH MB D, JONES, (»»0¥ PVR OWN eOtgpipONOllJi'l'..) LONDON, June sJ. Mr ©avid Jones (chairman of the Meat producers' Board) * n d Mr? Jones f P«nt the Whitoun holiday? w*4 pa*t tf thq following week at grjghton, a campaign of pufei i( ?Hy to in 8 ™n4wt#d by the Empire Marketing 'Board. During Mr Jones's stay there 'ft® N§w Zealand produce organza, tiena were in occupation of the shop tiken over by the marketing board.

Mr Jones took the opportunity to visit the fcutphers who werp selling New tfealapd meat. "The system of display by the marketing board," he said, in an interview to-day, "is unquestionably a good one sp far as Dominion produce is concerned. This association of the Dominions with the marketing board results in valuable publicity which thpy would not otherwise obtain. • 'Wp had an exceedingly valuable advertisement," continued Mr Jpnes, in the window dressing competition, in which there were more than 40 competitors. This js a system of advertising we think very valuable. In view of the increase in our output p£ lambs in recent years we require every form of advertsiing possible. Our system of providing free advertising Materia} tq the butchers who ara actual sellers of our 'meat has been the means of greatly inpreasing our sales of lamb, and we are continuing this policy more intensively in the future. Market Improving "The quality pf New Zealand meat, which, by its price," shows its superiority over other imported meat, naturally assists us in furthering our advertising. The market for New Zealand meaf hag beep very depressed, but in the last two or three weeks there has been a considerable improvement, particularly in lamb! One of the largest sellers said that last week more lamb was sold than he had kflown ip apy other week during long (experience pf the trade. Such a statement from such an authoritative source is most interesting. The great bulk of the iamb which Will arrj.ve here during the next few months is from New Jtealand, and the Dominion is likely to benefit materially from the improved prices." Mr Jones went on to speak of the Ottawa agreements. These, he thought, wepe already being felt, particularly in the lamb market. "Tne progressive restrictions op the Argentine trade which will reach their maximum of J55 pgr cept in April of next year, limiting the importation of mutton, lamb Bfld frozen beef, are beginning to have their effect, as seen by the prices to-day. The recent agreement with the Argentine which now gives the Bfitjsh Government the right to plpce further restrictions, beyond the] Ottawa agreements, on chilled beef, will assist further in keeping excessive supplies from the market. Re-1 viewing the subjept on the spot. J am of the opinion that but for the Ottawa i Agreements the amount; pf importodi tftat weuld have h een thrown or the British market since would j B»ve meW chaps so far as prices are cpncerneq.' Exchange Hate. Jppes mentioned the subject q( \ the exchange rate. "A great deal of propaganda work, he said, "h3d been done in New Zealand bpfore my leaving to show that tha farm«" was nqt getting the benefit of the increased rate 01 exchange. i have made enquiries here in responsible quarters, and have followed the prices of our goods, and) I am absolutely eertain that the farmer, is getting the full benefit of the exchange ip the goods sold on the London market. The buyers here are; pot interested at all in what the rate ot exchange is. They buy 10 a comDetitiys market, and pay the market priqe, What assisted the agitatipp in New Zealand was that a further fail jp prices took Place just when the rate of exchange was increased, and this led the farmer tq think that he wap being robbed Qf the increased rate. lam satisfied that there is no foundation for this View." Chi)led Beef. FinaJly, Mr Jones sßoke of the ex? which are most interesting- to Dominion producers. ( 'I saw recently a consignment of chilled beef from Brisbane carried by j the Port Fairy," be said. "It was j brought from a hundred miles inland, 2nd was 63 days on the voyage- Thej part of the consignment I saw at omitnfield arrived in perfect condition; though I understand that some of the beef on the same vessel was not quite so good. What I saw, however, was a clear demonstration of the fact that with further experience what can be done with part of a consignment can be done with the whole. New Zea-1 innri can land chilled beef in Great Britain » n round about SC days. My I board is coroperpting .Vith Messrs Borthwick ?nd SOP? th e ship-1 Sot chilled beef that has h«n made and with the shipments that will be made, and is sharing the aAr- f&r jssr&. SrJ". Wl? number'ot fte'veS vantage ef'thla market when the chilling has passed the experimental stage.'