THAT MEAT SUPPLY.

Evening Star, Issue 11676, 7 February 1902, Page 6

THAT MEAT SUPPLY.

THE WAR OFFICE BACKS DOWN. THE BALANCE OF TRADE. WELLINGTON, February 7. The delegates to the Chambers of Commerce Conference were entertained at a banquet last night. The Premier, in proposing the toast of trade and commerce, advocated making a tariff agreement under which this country should give a preference to articles of British manufacture. As showing the necessity for commercial men to be on the alert, he said that he had official information that orders had been sent to this colony from Victoria <to send butter to South Africa. The conditions were that the article must be branded and packed in boxes identical with those used in Victoria, He was glad to say, however, that these sharp dealers would not be allowed to evade the law of this colony as to the grading and branding of our products. Mr Seddon stated that the value of our imports for the past ten months of the financial year was £9,527,358, and of our exports £9,216,424. This was not satisfactory, but two months had yet to go, and those two months might show results that would redeem the situation to some extent. The revenue returns for the past ten months of the financial year were £4,656,431, against £4,506,075 for the corresponding period of last year, being an increase of over £150,000. He said it was a source of much gratification to him to mention that the trouble over the meat contract for South Africa had ended satisfactorily. He had received the following cablegram from the Agent-General: —■ “The Under-Secretary for War has stated that an undertaking has been given 'n writing by the contractor for the supply of meat in South Africa that the supplies shall be obtained as far as possible from, Australia and New Zealand in preference to the Argentine. Have had a personal interview with Colonel Ward, the Permanent Under-Secretary, and with Lord Stanley. The War Office has given me a similar assurance.” The Governor had received a similar cablegram. Mr John Duncan (Levin and Co.) cordially thanked the Premier for what he had done in the meat matter. Regarding his remarks on the year’s exports, he (Mr Duncan) said that the export of frozen meat and of produce would .be heavy during the closing months of the financial year. At Jbe suggestion of Mr Seddon the Chambers of Commerce’s motion on the subject of preferential trade relations with the Mother Country is to be illuminated and entrusted to him to present to the Kiua, I