DAIRY QUOTAS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 117, 17 April 1934, Page 2

DAIRY QUOTAS

CABINET AND THE BOARD. QUERY BY MERCHANT. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 10. “The statement which Mr Forbes is reported to have made at Christchurch to the effect that, so far as ho knew, quotas had not been mentioned when tlie Dairy Produce Board met Cabinet recently is directly contrary, to information 1 received from a Dairy Board member,” said a Wellington man prominent in tiie dairy trade yesterday. “I understand that, as was stated in the message from Auckland last week, the Dairy Board has agreed that, if no alternative is available, it will very reluctantly have to accept restrictions; but my information was to the effect that this resolution was carried only after the strongest possible pressure had been put upon the board by Cabinet at two successive meetings. Moreover, I believe that even now the board is against the whole principle of restriction, and charges the Government with the responsibility of introducing the quota; in other words, it is prepared to accept restrictions if the Government can see no alternative, but it places fully responsibility upon- the Government to deal with tlie question. “The Government asked the board to produce a plan, and it has done so. I cannot see why this should not l>e published at once, hut 1 understand that Cabinet asked the board to withhold publication. Many wild rumours are current at present, and these are extremely, disturbing to the trade. One is to the effect that Mr Coates intends superseding the Dairy Board with a Commission of three, and even the names have been given. Such a revolutionary proposal would arouse the strongest antagonism in the industry, particularly if the producers did not approve of those selected. Surely, in any case, the dairy industry is entitled to the fullest possible information on these points. “Air Forbes in his latest message has stated that ‘I don’t think it (the quota) is a remedy that can be applied now.’ If that is really his view, why has Cabinet been browbeating tlie board on the question, and why is Air Coates still so ardent an advocate of restriction, as I understand him to be?” REASON FOR CONFERENCE. THE DELEGATION PROPOSAL. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 16. The main reason for the recent conference between the Dairy Board and the Government was to discuss the proposal that a delegation representing the industry should visit Britain, according to a statement made by the Prime Alinister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes. Air Forbes said to-day that the Government had wished to find out what the board had to suggest as a mission for the delegation before the Government undertook to send a Alinister with the delegation. It wanted to know what the delegation was expected to do. Although the board had not waited on the Government to discuss the quota, there had been discussion on the subject of whether an attempt should be made through the delegation to reopen the quota question with Britain. The Government wished to discover whether the board favoured this course as a line of approach, and the board had made certain recommendations which the Government had still to consider. The meeting had been more or less confidential, and the recommendations had to be considered by Cabinet before anything definite was made public. When the statement the Prime Alinister is reported to have made in Christchurch—that so far as he knew quotas were not mentioned as last week’s conference between the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board and Cabinet— was submitted to the secretary of the board, Air T. C. Brash, he stated that he had no comment to make. It was agreed, said Air Brash, that the discussions which took place between Alinisters and members of the board were to he treated as confidential, and in those circumstances it would not he right for him to divulge what had been said at the conference. THE DELEGATION HOAIE. QUOTA PROPOSAL. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, April 17. The Government has still to consider the Dairy Board’s proposals finally submitted last week, but it is already becoming evident that it is extremely unlikely that Cabinet can agree to sending a Alinister with any dairy delegation to England for the reason that the board’s proposals do not contain material which could profitably he discussed with the British authorities.

In its final statement to Cabinet, the board indicated that in the event of it not being possible to raise the price level of dairy produce next season it would reluctantly agree to a quantitative restriction on exports. The official view appears to be that at this late stage the board’s acceptance of a quota would not be effective. Britain having made her own plans to assist the English milk producers, information in the Government’s possession indicates that since the conference between the hoard and Cabinet the Home authorities have reiterated their previous statement that they are not concerned with a quota until the Ottawa agreement expires. “Great Britain offered to impose a quota and the Dairy Board turned it down,” remarked a gentleman who is prominently concerned in the negotiations. “Now,” he added, “the Dairy Board sees it is inevitable, but it is not in a position to accept a quota for the simple reason that Britain is not offering it.”

“lAIPORTANT AIATTERS.” DAIRYING PROBLEAIS. “I have been told to-night, though not in so many words, that I must not make a political speech, so I will not,” remarked Hon. J. G. Cobbe, member for the district, in declaring the new hall at Pchangina open at a large gathering held there last night. “I had brought along with me notes on several questions of importance at the present time, including exchange, quotas, and other dairy problems. They are important. “The matter that will he dealt with first by Parliament will be the dairy question,” proceeded the speaker. “The Government called a very big conference to discuss the matter and the whole of the Dairy Produce Control Board was in Wellington last week and had a long discussion with the Government. Owing to the fact of quotas in Europe, dairy produce that would formerly have gono to places like France has had to be marketed in England, with the result that that market has become overcrowded. Consequently, our butter has suffered in price. “There has been a good deal said about exchange: some are for it and

some are against it,” continued Mr Cobbe. “That it benefits the farmers might be a matter of opinion, but if they have benefited then the business people have benefited. They must do. In my own experience in business I knew that if the farmers were doing well, then I was doing well. So if the high exchange has helped the farmers then it must have helped those in business.”