Challenge repeated

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32661, 17 July 1971, Page 3

Challenge repeated

j • (N.Z._ Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 16. The Labour Party spokesman for overseas trade, Mr W. E. Rowling (Buller) today repeated his challenge to the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) to reveal “the full facts” about the E.E.C. agreement.

Mr Marshall’s claim that all Britain had to do was to find new markets for the quantity of cheese and but-

[ter gradually excluded from i the British market, he said,[< was an indication of his un-, willingness to face reality and ( advice the people of New i [ Zealand of “the full implica- ■

tions of the E.E.C. agreement.” “It is a matter of economic history,” he said, “that traditional exports of primary products which still constitute the bulk of our exports have suffered as a result Of the slow growth of world demand for many years. "The main factors responsible for this phenomenon include low elasticity of demand for most of the products; the development of synthetic substitutes; more efficient use of industrial material due to technological progress; and the adoption of protectionist policies by advanced industrial countries which have restricted imports and subsidised generally vulnerable domestic production,” Mr Rowling said. “To this should be added the impact of the worsening terms of trade with the costs of imports rising relative to the price of exports. “These are the problems being faced apparently not disclosed by Mr Marshall.”

Abattoir plan.—More than 80 farmers from the Hauraki Plains have given unanimous support to a plan for a farmer-owned regional abattoir and export meat-packing house in the Thames Valley. They gave their approval of the ssm project at a meeting in the Ngatea Hall on Thursday night.—(P.A.).