AUSTRALIAN STUD MERINO SHEEP

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22141, 10 July 1937, Page 16

AUSTRALIAN STUD MERINO SHEEP

RE-EXPORT FROM N.Z. DENIED

IMPORTATIONS ESSENTIAL TO BREEDERS U'RESS ASSOCIATION TBLEQRAU.) WELLINGTON, July 9. That there is any possibility of Australian stud merino sheep imported into New Zealand finding their way into other countries against which Australia has an embargo was emphatically denied by Mr S. T. Richmond, president of tl.o Marlborough Merino Breeders* Association, in an interview to-day. Mr Richmond referred to a cable message from Sydney, which stated that the opinion had been expressed at the last annual conference of the Craziers* Association of Wew South Wales that the effectiveness of the embargo on the export of merino sheep from Australia was endangered by the sale of sheep to New Zealand.

"I can give a guarantee that not one sheep imported from Australia to New Zealand has ever been re-exported to South Africa or to any other country," said Mr Richmond. "We give our bond to the Australian Government that we will use the sheep only in our own studs."

Apart from Australia there was only one country which had made any mark in the fine-wool trade, and that was South Africa. Stud merino sheep from New Zealand, however, would not be good enouch to satisfy breeders in South Africa, where, as a result of past importations from Australia, the studs had reached a high state of perfection.

Referring to the suggestion of a writer in a Sydney newspaper that it might be desirable for tha Commonwealth Government to prohibit the export of merino sheep to New Zealand, Mr Richmond said that this would be disastrous for New Zealand breeders. "Our studs are so extremely small that it has been, and will continue to be. impossible to maintain them in any satisfactory state without continuous importations from Australia," he said. "Australia hss nothing to fear from New Zealand, and we hope our Government will coi.Unue to co-operate with us in seeing that is not imposed.''

AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE CRITICISED The possibility of Australia objecting to the export of merinos to other countries was mentioned at a meeting of the committee of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday by Mr W. H. Orbell. who stated that the Dominion had to import a certain number of merinos to keep up the standard of her flocks. Australia, which had imposed an embargo against the export of merinos to other countries, might object to New Zealand exporting overseas. New Zealand's action in doing so might prove to be penny wise and pound foolish. Mr B. E. H. Tripp said that personally he considered Australia foolish to imoose an embargo. No harm was done by exporting. New Zealand had a big trade in the export of sheep to the Argentine, and also to Russia.

"I atrree with Mr Tripp," said ir H. B. S. Johnstone. He added that New Zealand exported thousands of sheep to Australia. If that country objected to New Zealand exporting sheep to other countries, New Zealand could say that it would not allow Australia to have sheep. Other countries did not always take the best of New Zealand sheep. The chairman (Mr C. H. S. Johnstone) said that he did not think New Zealand exported sheep. It imported from Australia.

The discussion was allowed to drop, no motion being carried.