N.Z. RAM EXPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 January 1928, Page 7

N.Z. RAM EXPORTS

AUSTRALIAN ALLEGATIONS. (Australian and N.Z. diable Association.) SYDNEY, January 13. The Tariff Board concluded the hearing of a request from the Federal Council of Breeders of British Sheep, for increased duty on sheep of certain varieties. Giving evidence in support of the application, David McNaught said that there was a good export trade between New Zealand and Australia, of what were known as flock rams, but unfortunately, it was not a genuine trade. He said that when a New Zealand district had completed the. season, and if it had rams left over, it could not sell those rams in another New Zealand district because no other district would have them at any price. The result was that dealers could buy them at their own price and ship them to Australia. Those rams would never fill their mission as rams to begin with, because they were scrubs, and would not beget fat lambs. This was not the only trouble, because their progeny were good for nothing. They were inferior and had no power to fatten themselves. They therefore were not sent to the market, but left here. The result was that they were bred from again, and so deterioration went on. Replying to questions, witness said that New Zealand looked on Australia as its dumping ground. Furthermore there was a movement on foot ever there to prevent stud sheep of • better class coming to Australia.