MEAT AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27037, 12 May 1953, Page 10

MEAT AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN

PROVISION FOR PRICE INCREASE FEDERATED FARMERS CRITICAL (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 11. The Dominion meat and wool council of Federated Farmers P ro . te ®^®J i its quarterly meeting against ?"■ elusion in the meat agreement with Britain of the provision that requires any increase in prices e ® ier^L an 10 per cent, to be supixirted by movements in costs of production In New Ze A resolution passed by the council added- “The council considers that n the United Kingdom Government required applications for increases m prices to be supported by in costs of production in land, the United should be prepared to recognise all other factors that are pertinent in determining; meat export prices, including the follow Prices paid by United Kingdom to other meat-exporting C °“(2^ l The quality of Zealand meat compared with home-killed meat in the United Kingdom and meat imported from other countries. “(3) The devaluation of sterling. “(4) Movement in the terms of trade in New Zealand meat for British goods.” (This refers to variations in the cost to New Zealand of British manufactured goods, and implies that the effect of the variations should be taken into account when New Zealand bulk meat prices are being fixed.) Delegates said that the demand by Britain that bulk meat price movements should be based on «11®S®“ movements in production costs in New Zealand was an admission that New Zealand would not continue to receive the prices paid by Britain, to New Zealand’s competitors. It also meant that the Dominion' had apced to forgo the advantages that had been conferred on it by natural resources and advanced farming techniques.