DEAR STOCK FOODS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 21 August 1930, Page 8

DEAR STOCK FOODS

H AM.PEIvI NG IND USTR Y. REMOVAL. OF DUTIES URGED. LEVIN, Aug. ia. That the development oi the pig and poultry industry would result in closer settlement, would largely solve ilia unemployment problem, and would generally afford the. Dominion relief in its present crisis is the belief of the Hon. Edward Newman as expressed at a public meeting of farmers at Levin tonight, when a motion was passed requesting the Government to remove Customs duties on stock foods. “1 believe that if the duty were removed within a few years we will find that the pig and poultry exports will become much more important than the frozen mutton and beef trades, declared Mr. Newman. “We will find unemployment greatly decreased and we shall have closer settlement. ■ I do think that with the example of France and Denmark, where unemployment is practically unknown, before us, we should take a lesson from them. There are many other ways of bringing closer settlement about than by taxing the big landowners. Indeed, there is very little encouragement given by the Government and local bodies to men - who wish to take up land.” Mr. Newman pointed out that in practically all dairying countries except New Zealand .the pig and poultry industries run hand ill hand with the dairy industry. No industry was more suitable to run with small capital. MARKET ASS U R ED. Dealing with the question as to whether there was a market in England, the speaker pointed out that in 1927 England had expended in round figures 56-£ million pounds on pig products. Of this Denmark received 24. millions, while New Zealand received only £330,000. As for the poultry industry. in 1927 England had expended 22-4 million pounds. Of this sum New Zealand had received only £330,(W0. In 1927 the imports into 1 the United Kingdom of pig products exceeded beef, mutton, and lamb combined, and the imports of poultry products exceeded mutton and lamb. The figures were : £ i’ig products. ->6,3bL,7-58 Poultry products . 22,232,158 Beef 1.... 34,654,407 Mutton 6,221,846 Lamb 11.767,881 “There is practically an unlimited market in England for our pig and poultry products if we can send them there on an equal basis with competitors,” the speaker declared. The question was why Denmark, a country only one-sixth the size of New Zealand, could get such an enormous revenue from those industries. The answer was that the Danes received all their stock food products entirely free from duties. This prevented New Zealand front competing with the Danes. IMPORTANCE OF MAIZE. “From inquiries which I have- made 1 am certain that maize could be landed in New Zealand at 3s a. bushel,” declared Air. Newman. Alaize was the basis of all stock foods. Dealing with the position of growers of maize in this country, the speaker said that the production of this grain in New Zealand was diminishing, but at- the most it was 509,000 bushels. ‘‘.Even, if the whole of Auckland province were put in maize it could not adequately .supply the need of the pig and poultry industries if they were properly established,” lie declared. “You all know that the frozen meat works in New Zealand have not been too flourishing of late,” said Air. Newman. The reason for this was that the works were worked at full pressure for a few months in the year. If the pig and poultry industries were established they would put the frozen meat industry on a sound basis, as the works would then receive supplies practically the whole year round. Town and country were equally interested in the development of the poultry industry. The number of flocks in the country to-day was the lowest since 1864, and the poultry industry was, he supposed, in a worse state than it had been for many years. “The industries cannot lie extended, however, unless we can receive our stock foods on the same parity as our competitors in the London market, he said in conclusion. The following motion was moved by Mr. »S. A. Mroadbent, and was seconded bv Air. J. Dnrraut and unanimously carried: “That this meeting of farmers and others, believing that the prosperity of the Dominion can he best promoted by the speedy development of new primary industries, and that the pig and poultry product export trade is most suitable for development in New Zealand at the present time, recommends that the Government be requested this session to remove the Cu stomps duties on. maize and all grains, and concentrated foods required for stock rearing or fattening purposes. so that the pig and poultry farmer of the Dominion may be placed upon the same footing as their rivals in the trade, who now import thenfood requirements free of import duties.”