EMPIRE PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1923, Page 7

EMPIRE PRODUCE

MR, MASSEY ON NEW ZEALAND EXPORTS

CONSUMER CANNOT DISCRIMINATE.

(SPECIAL TO PRESS ASSOCIATION.) . LONDON, 31st October. In a speech at a gathering of the British Cold Storage and lee Association, at ■which he was the chief guest, Mr. Massey emphasised that there was no discrimination in Britain between the products of the foreign producer and foodstuffs from overseas Dominions. British people were given no opportunity in the shops of purchasing the Dominions' produce, if sentiment impelled them to do so. Speaking of the importance of New Zealand as a supplier of the Home market with mutton and .'.linb, Mr. Massey said that since 1882

the Dominion had sent to Britain 142,----335j000 carcasses against the rest of the world's 14,600,000. Last year New Zealand had exported to Britain mutton valued at £2,640,000; lamb, £4,496,000; cheese, £6,433,000; butter, £1,149,000. The butter and cheese figures were for the season ending 30th June. Mr. Massey e'ul 1 there were 56,000 suppliers of dah-7 factories in New Zealand, according to the figures of the dairy plebiscite, which; showed the foundation the industry had in the Dominion. He denied emphatically that the Meat Producers' Board was a Socialistic venture; and explained its composition, the objects achieved, and what it was ta do. He stated that he was glad of the_ opportunity to make this explanation in view of the harmful propaganda which had been circulated in Britain regarding it and the Dairy Control Board, which was on similar lines. The highly organised agents surely would not deny that the producers had the 6ame right in their interests.