ENGLISH MEAT IMPORTS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 18

ENGLISH MEAT IMPORTS

RETENTION OF OTTAWA QUOTAS ADVOCACY BY SHEEPOWNERS* PRESIDENT [THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, July 27. The hope that any action taken for the regulation and control of quantities of New Zealand mutton and lamb and kindred products imported into the British market would not in any way alter the terms laid down in the Ottawa agreement was expressed in his presidential address to the Sheepowners’ Federation by Mr ' H.. D. Acland, of Christchurch. The foundations laid at Ottawa as affecting New Zealand were definitely favourable to the Dominion, and sheepowners had every cause for gratitude to the British Government for the treatment accorded to New Zealand exporters from the Ottawa year onwards, said Mr Acland. Similar consideration was given in the agreement made covering last year's quota, and, on the federation’s behalf, he thanked Mr T. Duncan and Mr J. Fraser, of the Meat Board, and the Hon. W. Nash, as Minister for Marketing, for the good work done by them on. their behalf last year. "I feel very strongly that any alteration to the existing arrangements can be none other than detrimental to New Zealand, taking into account relative quantities fixed for export from the various Dominions and foreign competitors, as compared with the bulk value of export trade from Great Britain to New Zealand and that to competitive sources of supply,” said Mr Acland. The season just past had, he thought, been. one of the most difficult for farmers for many years, climatic conditions having been most unfavourable from a stock-fattening point of view, while the sudden changes from very dry conditions over a prolonged period in some parts of the North Island resulted in the severest epidemic of stock sickness and monetary loss experienced for many years. He hoped the results of the research now in hand by the Agricultural Department would definitely point the way to the prevention of a recurrence in the future, and he paid a personal tribute to the department for the sympathetic way in which stockowners were met in research. The continued increase in the number of sheep was a matter for congratulation, especially as the bulk of the increase was in ewes. This should assist in maintaining the quota overseas and possibly allow of still closer grading with a view to New Zealand maintaining the highest possible quality, a factor which was becoming Increasingly important.