The Gisborne Times FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1933. THE HOMELAND’S MEAT SUPPLIES PROBLEM.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12139, 29 December 1933, Page 4

The Gisborne Times FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1933. THE HOMELAND’S MEAT SUPPLIES PROBLEM.

The movement in Britain to assist the domestic -.meat - .trade ; continues apace. In explanation of t-!io latest restrictions to be imposed* • Major Elliot, the British HunistoV- for . > Agriculture, states that; -the earlier rp- ; Strictipns have. failed to- give Home growers :a- satisfactory ■r.et,u*i;n on the' posts of production; The main .‘cuts' uow : resolved upon luivq. relation to imports of live; cattle and- foreign frozen be'ef. The 'Free State - is. to bo .’the chief sufferer, for,.. during, the first' quarter of the new-' plies from .Southern Ireland must bo roducod by 'SO per ■ cent', as -conipai'ed. with tho ' corresponding *- period ot 1933. Canada is” also,to be- penalised,: hut only to'the extent' that her' supplies' for the 'periodunder consideration must not, Exceed 'those 'for 'the first' quarter’ of ’the', closing South' 1 Ainei;icoin 1 'suppliesof; frozen beef ’ will be reduced ’by 30. per ‘cent. There, is alsd' a'Thi'eht that' o’/in? 0 ’/in? the tearfuture, : 'foreign ’bacon:hand honeloss beef ni’ay ailso 1 be cut down; As far as ’Australia ;„ancl New;’ 'Zealand afo concerned. Maijor Elliot', say's that hq does not. intend’; to suggest any further' limitation'in fespdet ~to. their supplies of; meat' meantime. Such a step would hot, howeverj ‘be' permissible . under the Ottawa . agree-. 'rnents. , '-.Seemingly, too, *. Sphth America is to be favoured in that supplies of- chilled heef . noe<l not be cut down below the quantities admitted 'during the initial quarter of the expiring, year. In all the circumstances,- Australia and New Zealand would have every reason to bo ; Satisfied if it were not for tile fa'ct that a committee of the Uritfsli Ministry for Agriculture lias recommen-• ded - that meat from the Dominions, as well as from' foreign- countries shall in future be marked. 'Foreign meat,’ it is Suggested; should be branded in half-inch letters along the whole of the length of the'carcase and on the outside of eacli side in three columns, whilst* 'as a “concession’’- to the Dominions, their in'ea’t will he approved if there are fo’uf mark's dri each side of the carcase,' in letters of similar height. It is, of course,’ pnL ent that, the intoriti'o'ri behind the proposed marking system i, s to assist the sale of 'Home-grown meat. The ’Committee in question admits, indeed, that that- is the, position when it says that it »is satisfied “that the substitution of a cheaper article for the higher-priced Home or Empire produce. take s place (on .thb part of retailers) to a substantial extent.” What /will be, felt in the Dominions, however, is that the committee .should have limited its recommendation to foreign meat if its aim wore to protect Empire-grown as Well ais Home supplies'. ' The fact that the marking system might be brought into ‘use has been known for some time, arid has been the subject of vigorous protests on tile part both of Australia and New Zealand. All that the' Home committee has to say on the?matter is that it is satisfied that marking' will not slow down the sale of meat produced’in the Dominions. . It is, "unquestionably, a point which must continue to be contested with' vigour and the Dominions would be justified in requesting the Home Government to shelve t-lib'matter until after June next, when the Ottawa meat agreements will expire and will require to be reviewed :