ELECTION CAMPAIGN Meat Sold To Switzerland

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31224, 23 November 1966, Page 3

ELECTION CAMPAIGN Meat Sold To Switzerland

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 22. New Zealand had gained new meat markets in Switzerland by blocking its bid to join G.A.T.T., the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) said last night. “New Zealand was unwilling to allow Switzerland to become a member of G.A.T.T unless it dropped its barriers on the entry of meat,” he told an election meeting.

After a “great deal of negotiation,” the Swiss agreed to accept trial shipments, and 2000 tons of meat was sent. The Swiss Government was now dealing with legislation to allow the entry of New Zealand meat. The Government was preparing details of the special conditions it desired if Britain joined the E.E.C. It had been in touch with the British Prime Minister (Mr Wilson) since he announced that Britain would make a new bid to enter. New Zealand had emphasised that any arrangements made when Britain joined must be permanent, said Mr Marshall.

“Transitional provisions would mean death by slow strangulation for New Zealand.”

The only “special concession” he mentioned was the proposal that New Zealand butter be accepted by the E.E.C. at about 350 s a hundredweight, and sold at about 600 s, leaving a profit for the E.E.C.

“i would think Britain would not have made its decision unless it had sounded out the attitude of the French —they wouldn’t risk being blackballed again,” said Mr Marshall. New Zealand’s second line of defence was the diversification of its export trade. Progress had been made in finding new markets for meat and dairy produce. “New Zealand's position is understood in the common market capitals. It is recognised that special conditions will have to be made.” Deterrent

The Labour candidate for Waitakere, Dr. A. M. Finlay, said in Auckland that he would like to see fines of up to £lOOO imposed for improper price increases. Some price increases were unavoidable, but those that were improper would be dealt with to set an example to others The present ineffectual fines did not deter anyone, he said. Farm Prices

The rising price of farm land was causing the Government extreme concern. Mr D. J. Carter, National candidate for Raglan said today. He told the dairy section of Waikato Federated Farmers it was estimated land values had increased 18 per cent last year. “New Zealand cannot afford this,” he said. Mr Carter was commenting on a statement by Mr D.

Spring, of Matamata, that sharemilkers were concerned that farm finance was “running out.” “It is possible State Advances funds for land purchase will be short after Christmas.” said Mr Carter. “I would like to see this matter taken up very forcibly with the Government.” “Jack-Up” Alleged

The resolution condemning Labour’s Vietnam policy, reported to have been signed by New Zealand troops in Vietnam, was suspected of being a National Party “jackup,” Mr R. J. Tizard, Labour candidate for Pakuranga, told an election meeting at Te Kauwhata. “If the resolution was not ‘jacked up’ by Mr Sloan, then it was certainly formulated with his knowledge for party political purposes,” said Mr Tizard. At least two men connected with the battery in Vietnam —one a gunner and the other a padre—had returned to New Zealand saying they knew nothing of the resolution. “Anyway, since when did the professional Army get involved with politics?” An Army major, returning to New Zealand after being wounded, was virtually cashiered when he criticised the length of the term served in Vietnam by the gunners. “Soldiers are not allowed to express their political views —they are servants of the Government,” said Mr Tizard. “This resolution makes it appear as though they are applying pressure. And we find the Prime Minister publicly supporting their case in the supposed resolution.”

“Not Officers” New Zealand gunners in Vietnam, not the officers or n.c.o.s, were responsible for the resolution condemning the Labour Party’s policy of withdrawal, said the National candidate for Hobson, Mr L. F. Sloane, in Dargaville. His chairman, the Mayor of

Dargaville, Mr S. S. Green, at the start of the meeting referred to the reported statement by an officer of the bat tery, Major R. B. Potts, that he had known nothing of the resolution.

“Anyone who knows anything about the services knows that officers or n.c.o.s would not take part in a thing like this,” said Mr Sloane. Russians In Samoa ' Western Samoa could easily come under Communist influence if there was not more assistance from New Zealand, Mr P. A. Amos, Labour candidate for Manurewa, said at Takanini.

New Zealand’s image in Samoa, once very high, was falling so fast the country could soon be held in ill-repute. “It is tragic that New Zealand should be charging 51

per cent on a loan to Western Samoa when the highest rate to other emergent nations was 3 per cent,” he said. At present there were 27 Russians visiting Samoa looking at the education system. A pattern could easily be set. Leaving Age The National candidate for Waitemata, Mr T. Power, said at Northcote that he strongly opposed raising the schoolleaving age to 16. Without the law forcing them, three-quarters of the children remained at secondary school until they were 16 or more, he said. Education Department research showed that by the early 1970 s more than 90 per cent of the children would stay at school until after they were 16 without the law making them.