DAIRY INDUSTRY COMMISSION'S REPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1934, Page 9

DAIRY INDUSTRY

COMMISSION'S REPORT

REACTION IN BRITAIN

EXPORTS AND DEBT CHARGE

CLAIM FOR PREFERENCE

United Tress Association —l!y Electric Tele-

gr;i|>li—Copyright.

LONDON, October 19,

Reference to Australian dumping in the report of the New Zealand Dairy Commission is attracting considerable attention.

"The Times" expresses the opinion that no exception can be taken to the Commission's demand for recognition of the connection between the payment of debt charges and the export of New Zealand produce. If New Zealand is to pay her debts she must have a corresponding favourable balance in visible trade with her creditor.

"There will be less general agreement with the other main - contention," it states. "The Commission contends that New Zealand has an equitable claim for special preference, not only over foreign countries, but over oilier Dominions, both on account of her low tariff on imports from Britain and because she does not dump produce on the British market with the help of subsidies. Hitherto no claim of this kind has been advanced by any Dominion owing to the general feeling that it would be invidious for the British Government to discriminate between different parts of its overseas Empire."

The "Morning Post," referring to the passage about dumping in the Commission's report, says: "The statement hardly does justice to the enormous increase in New Zealand supplies on the British market in recent years. Her imports of butter for tho first nine months of tho year, for the first time in history, actually exceeded imports from Denmark, so New Zealand became our largest single supplier. It is true that Britain is buying 50 per cent. more butter in 1934 than in 1029. Steps might perhaps have been taken to secure New Zealand a larger share than sho has had. Nevertheless, New Zealand has been doing very well on the British market.

"Unfortunately we entered into engagements practically binding us . to grant the foreigner a proportionate share of the expansion of tho market, thereby limiting New Zealand's opportunity. That legitimate soureo of grievance ought to be rectified as soon as the treaties expire. Moanwhilo we ought, in consultation with her representatives, to seek means to assist her from the serious crisis to which the. Commission draws attention."