STOCK EMBARGO

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 39, 15 August 1939, Page 11

STOCK EMBARGO

REMOVAL URGED

MATTER FOR FARMERS

(By Air Mail, from "The Post's"

London Representative.)

LONDON, July 20,

A resolution urging that the embargo on exports of livestock to New Zealand should be removed was carried unanimously at the fifteenth Congress of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire this week.

The resolution, entered by the Grimsby Chamber, was moved by Sir Albert Atkey (Nottingham) and seconded by Mr. H. G. Harvey (Hastings). It read: •'That in the interests of progressive trade with New Zealand this Congress is of the unanimous opinion that the embargo imposed in 1923 on direct exports to New Zealand of livestock should be removed forthwith."

Sir Albert said that he was glad, as the representative of a. commercial city, to move the resolution on behalf of a chamber with agricultural interests. It showed the growing sense of unity between industry and agriculture. At Wellington three years ago they had discussed a resolution on precisely similar lines, and only one vote hac' been cast against it. Nevertheless, nothing had been done, and he wondered whether they would have to make another appeal three years hence when they held their next conference.

New Zealand was the only part of the Empire which imposed an embargo of this kind. In effect it was only a paper embargo, for it did not prevent stock from going to New Zealand; its chief result was to put the exporters to a great deal more trouble and expense. The steps that had been taken in Britain to deai with foot-and-mouth disease were such that they should allay any alarms in New Zealand.

In seconding,-Mr. Harvey said .that h - had marvelled at. the magnificent animals he had seen at the recent Royal Show at Windsor. New Zealand was greatly handicapped by not importing them. He read a letter from Lord Bledisloe, who recalled a speech he had made at Hastings in 1933 after which a motion was passed favouring the removal of the embargo. Experience had shown that the disease would have declared itself long before animals reached New Zealand.

"This unfortunate embargo policy is not only operating to the serious financial disadvantage of those who desire to improve the quality of the stock in the Dominion, but ■is giving an unfair advantage to Australia and other competing countries who are not so imprudent as' to' impose a continuous embargo," the letter ' said, t At least 50 per cent, was added to the cost of the animals imported to New Zealand under the present system. Mr. C. F. Gothard (Derby) said that as a member of the Royal Agricultural Society he could assure the Congress that the unrestricted admission of pedigree stock into New Zealand would be welcomed. The pedigree stock raised in Great Britain was among the finest in the world. Mr. H. E. Edgley (Napier) pointed out that the New Zealand Government could take no action unless the farming community unanimously desired it. There was a considerable body of New Zealand farmers who were opposed to the removal of the embargo, and, in spite of much discussion, there had not been entire agreement throughout the

Dominion.