N.Z. LIVE STOCK

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1934, Page 2

N.Z. LIVE STOCK

PRECAUTION AGAINST DISEASE. REFERENCE BY PREMIER, (Per Press Association—Copyright). AUCKLAND, Feb. 9. “Thero. is no doubt our future lies a long the . lines of producing stock of the highest quality,” said the Primp Minister, when declaring the Royal Show .officially open. • “World , com- , petition is;-.growing / keener, and our opponents, are profiting by lessons learned frojn our organisation t 0 improve t heir’s. It is therefore undoubtedly the duty of leaders in our .pastor- ■ ail) industry to ' bring about improvements and enable us to retain the markets we have. Complacency spells retrogression. It is the work being done by our royal , 'shows and other : show organisations which points the j way to improvement. : The Prime Minister said, that when he was in Britain in 1930, the question of the importation by New Zealand of British stock was a burning one. British farmers asked him why New Zealand had put its embargo on their stock, They said they had done everything which scientific knowledge could dictate to ,prevent diseased stock leaving Britain. Other countries accepted their stock, and yet New Zealand retained the very, rigid embargo. In reply, said Mr Forbes, he told them that New Zealand’s farmers were afraid or the foot and mouth disease. He was .shown a British guarantee station and saw precautions being taken. He saw there stock destined for Australia, and felt that Australia was gaining an advantage over New Zealand, for if the Dominion was to ■work for quality, it must not neglect any means of bringing it 'about. He was assured in Britain that Australia was satisfied with the arrangements made. "When New Zealand was endeavouring to obtain goodwill of the British farmers, they should see what they could do 'to dispel what was undoubtedly a feeling in Britain that the New Zealand attitude was unreasonable. It was a matter for farmers’ organisations to deal with, but he felt he must toll them that a feeling was growing in Britain that the New Zealand embargo was an unfriendly act, one not done by. the other Dominions, The matter had been mentioned to him when he was in Britain again last vear.