KEEP OUR MARKET

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 26, 31 January 1924, Page 6

KEEP OUR MARKET

HINT TO PRODUCERS. _ A warning to' New Zealand producers that it would be unsafe for them to imperil the existence of" their market in the United Kingdom Vvas uttered today by 'the Minister of Customs/ the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, when replying to a deputation from the Farmers' Union on the matter of trade with the' East. The president of t,hei union, Mr. W. J. Poison, remarked that recent events'aj, Home had been almost a mandate from the British people to the producers to find markets where opportunity offered. . . . * The Minister: "But you have a good market. 'If you try to get other markets you may imperil the market you have now." • Mr. Poison: ' 'But Mr. Massey himself has been recommending the American market for our . butter." f Mr. A. E.. Harding, vice-president of the union, mentioned that in 1912 Japan imported one thousand bales of. wool, " but last year she took eighty-five thousand bales, and New Zealand did not get very' much of that trade. ' It was true that Japanese buyers came here, but, if the*e...were a direct line of steam'ers .to the East .from "New Zealand-'it would be more inducement for t"he Japanese. to;deal With. us. : - • The Minister: "If.-'the Japanese did 7 come here they could not put the price much higher than it^is at present." Mr. Poison said that we talked about our splendid market at Home. That was quite true, but we had before us the spectre of butter from Siberia once again going into Britain. 'That butter would be a serious competitor with the New Zealand butter trade. If the supply of butter to England were doubled to-morrow New Zealand would, be compelled to look for other markets because the price would be so low ■ that New. Zealand producers could not compete with it. The handicap of distance would be too great. "We must have other strings to our bow," said Mr. Pol^ son. An Eastern market which was in pur own zone was worth fostering.