“SPECIOUS PROPOSALS”

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 121, 15 February 1935, Page 11

“SPECIOUS PROPOSALS”

“Manchester Guardian” on British Meat Plan ARGENTINE TREATY BAR By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright. London, February 13. In regard ■ to the Anglo-Argentine Meat Committee, lire “Manchester Guardian,” editorially, says: “It is understood that at Monday’s AngloDominion consultations .Mr. Elliot, Minister of Agriculture, reiterated his plan for an all-round quota for foreign and Empire meat imports plus a tax, the proceeds of which would be pocketed by the home producers. However, the Anglo-Argentine Treaty stands in the way of this objectionable plan until 1936, for it states: No new or increased duties shall be levied on Argentine meat.’ ■

‘‘Thus, even if tlie Dominions could be persuaded to swallow a ‘voluntary’ quota, which is doubtful, Argentina has still to be persuaded to accept a tax.

“British members of tlie committed are disinterested parties and will beware of the specious proposals of Mr. Elliot insofar as they react on the consumer and international trade.”

t According to a British official wireless message yesterday, the United Kingdom and Argentine Goovernnients have now agreed to set up a committee to carry out a “joint inquiry into the economic and financial structure and the working of the meat trade, with particular reference to the means to be adopted to ensure a reasonable return to the cattle producers,” as provided for in the Anglo-Argen-tine Convention of May 1, 1933. Sir George Shuster is being appointed chairman of tlie committee, of which the United Kingdom members will be Mr. 11. F. Carlill, of the Board of Trade, Sir Basil Mayhew, and Sir Thomas Bilbe Robinr son, and the Argentine members Dr. Arias, Economic Counsellor to the Argentine Embassy, Senor Enrique Fernandez, and Senor' Anselmo Viacaya, public national accountant. OTTAWA AGREEMENTS Manufacturers’ Report BENEFICIAL EFFECTS (Received February 14, 7.10 p.m.) London, February 14. Tlie beneficial effects of the Ottawa agreements are stressed in tlie annual report of the Australian Association of British Manufacturers. It declares that provision against the imposition of new duties against British goods without a proper inquiry by the Tariff Board enabled the retention of a considerable proportion of British trade to Australia that might otherwise have been lost. The possibilities under the agreements were not exhausted. It advises British industries which have not yet benefited from the various Australian tariff amendments to make formal application for Trade Board inquiries with regard to such products. Commenting on the serious effect of competition with tlie British cotton and rayon industries from Japan, the report expresses the opinion that the difficulty of the situation has been enormously intensified by the fact that the balance of trade between Australia and Japan is so favourable to the former. SHEEP FOR JAPAN Imported From Australia ' Tokio, February .13. Eleven hundred sheep, which officials of the Ministry of Agriculture bought in Australia, have been landed at Kobe. They will be lent, without charge, to farmers for wool production, with the double objective of providing additional occupation and means of income, and gradually building up the wool industry.