COMMON MARKET

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 8

COMMON MARKET

Effect On Farm Products

“One of the problems uppermost tn most people’s minde today is the effect on New Zealand's economy if Britain were to join the European Common Market, which consists of the Inner Six (West Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, and Luxembourg), embracing their present agricultural proposals,” said Mr A. C. Wright, chairman of the meat and wool section of North Canterbury Federated Farmers, in his annual report to the conference of the section yesterday. “This would mean that we would lose our right of unrestricted duty-free entry for our lamb and mutton, beef and veal, into Britain. We would be confronted by tariffs, and if we could overcome them, we would also have to face import licensing and levies on our products I, and I know all of you. sincerely hope this state of affairs will not come to pass and that, if Britain does join the European Common Market (and I think she might), the present agricultural policy will be amended to safeguard the Commonwealth primary producing countries. This has prompted the Meat Board to look to closer association with Canada, the United States, Japan and other countries in th? Pacific basin, and to try to increase the flow of trade both ways.

“For this reason I believe we should import our wheat requirements from Canada, or some such country, with which we do not have an adverse trade balance. If we have to import wheat we should do it from a country which will take our lamb. In other words, a ‘horse deal’,” said Mr Wright.