PRODUCE SOLD TO BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26118, 22 May 1950, Page 6

PRODUCE SOLD TO BRITAIN

MR WARREN’S VIEWS CRITICISED

STATEMENT BY MR NASH (New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. May 21. New Zealand had always had a fair deal from the United Kingdom, and no one with a i.u oculd affirm otherwise, said the Deputy-Leader of the Oppo . . ■ h Nash) commenting on a statement by the president of the North Canterbury branch of Federated •Farmers (Mr G. C. Warren). Mr Nash said that Mr Warren’s statements about prices and trade with the United Kingdom were entirely misleading. After stating that had it not been for British ships, protected by the British Navy and Air Force, no sales could have been made by New Zealand. Mr Nash said +he prices paid to Australia and New Zealand referred to by Mr Warren had always been the same for similar products, with one exception (butter). For butter New Zealand received a relatively higher price than that paid to Australia. The subsidies referred to by Mr Warren as being paid to the United Kingdom farmer were paid by the people of Britain, said Mr Nash. Si bi paid to keen the prices of New Zealand products at low levels to the United Kingdom consumer were paid by British taxpayers. If they were not,’ it was fairly certain that New Zealand’s butter prices would be lower than at present. New Zealand was fortunate, said Mr Nash, to have contracts that would safeguard its sales for the next five years, and that prices could not vary during that period by more than 7| per cent, in any one year. The policy of New Zealand had always been to help Britain to the maximum, but that corresponded with the Unhed Kingdom’s policy to help New Zealand always in a like manner. That ’olicy was good for both New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and it would be harmful for both if the v e were a change of policy based on getting the last farthing out of each other.