U.K. May Seek To Limit Lamb Imports

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30057, 15 February 1963, Page 10

U.K. May Seek To Limit Lamb Imports

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A) LONDON, February 12. A question which Mr Macmillan may want to discuss with Mr Holyoake when he comes to London for talks, forecast in the House of Commons debate by Mr Macmillan, is the limitation of New Zealand imports of food to Britain, notably lamb. And the Labour Party may want to discuss a return to bulk purchasing if a Labour Government is elected to power in Britain.

Hints on these lines of thought were g.ven in speeches in the debate on the Common Market by both Mr Macmillan and Mr Harold Wilson. Mr Macmillan referred to the inevitability of change* in the farm support system by subsidies. “The amount of agricultural support mud be brought under greater control,” he said. The Government is bound by the 1957 Agricultural Act to continue the present support system during its lifetime. But this does not mean it cannot begin clipping subsidies and. in return for a lower income for farmers from this source, to encourage an increase in market prices. The main way in which prices can be raised is by some control of imports. Quotas For Lamb?

Butter quotas, it is clear, have come to stay. Whaf about quotas for New Zealand lamb?

Should any proposal be made by Britain in this direction, New Zealand will obviously stand by its trade treaty for the right of unrestricted free entry of meat except pork until September 30, 1967.

This is different from the terms of the agreement on dairy produce in the Ottawa Treaty, which allowed Britain to give six months’ notice of a change in the system of imports.

If the term* of the 15 year meat treaty are to be changed it is to be presumed this could only be done with the

concurrence of the New Zealand Government. Is Mr Holyoake going to be asked to do just this? In fact, ha* he been asked to do so already? It is no secret that, to the past, Mr. Soames ha* observed that to reduce the burden of subsides, running at some £360 million a year British farmers should limit their production and that there also should be some limitation of import*. New Zealand circle*, however. are not inclined to accept this argument, particular as they have pointed out on more than one occasion that additional bills for meat subsides have been due in large measure to the lack of any organised marketing system of meat in Britain.

Just how firm Mr Wilson may be in his advocacy of a return to bulk purchasing only he and the Labour Party know. If there were Labour Parties in power in both Britain and New Zealand they might come to some agreement but bulk purchase and control of price and quantity have not been popular In Britain, with it* memories of war-time rationing.

For New Zealand, It meant that she was restricted in her efforts to look for alternative markets—which Britain has been advocating in recent years she should do and which, in fact. New Zealand has been doing.