DAIRY INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 118, 18 April 1934, Page 2

DAIRY INDUSTRY

CONSIDERATION OF DIFFICULTIES WELLINGTON, April 18. '‘Cabinet will -consider this week the proposals framed by the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board for the assistance of dairy farmers, along with the recommendations of the recent dairying conference,” said the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, in an interview last evening. The report that he had said in Christchurch that so far as he knew quotas had not been mentioned at last week’s conference between the Government and the board, was stated by the Prime Minister to be a mis-statement of what he had said. To credit him with having made such a remark was absurd. Sir Forbes’said that as the British Government had made other arrangements, it had definitely, indicated that the quota was not of immediate concern. At the same time the British Government had made it clear that the regulation of marketing was its policy, but that owing to the Ottawa Agreement it was not able to give effect to that policy until the expiry of the agreement, unless, of. course, there should be any change of policy before that time. SPECULATION IN THE TRADE. AUCKLAND, April .17. The latest developments in the dairy industry, and particularly the conference held last week between Cabinet and members of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, have given rise to a good deal of conjecture regarding the future plans of the Government to help producers. Certain information ns to the conference is common knowledge in the dairy trade, but anything further must be merely conjecture based on the recent attitude of the Prime Minister and Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. What the trade knows of the conference is this: The board considered plans to help the industry, and a list of about 10 suggestions, including a subsidy scheme and , others already discussed and some advanced by Mr W. Goodfellow, was drawn, up .for presentation to the Government. Pressure was brought to bear by Cabinet for a decision as to a quantitative restriction. This aroused considerable opposition, but finally the following was added to the suggestions: “If the Government can see no other way of raising prices the board reluctantly agree to quantitative restriction.” This addition was passed by a majority of one vote. Had Mr Dynes Fulton, who is now in England, been at the meeting the voting would almost certainly have been even, and the deciding vote of the chairman, Mr W.- A. lorns, would have been necessary. No lead was given as to the percentage of restriction considered expedient. Opinion in the industry is that some form of quantitative restriction will be considered by the Government. BEEF IMPORTS. BOARD CHAIRMAN ON RESTRICTION. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 17. Mr. D. Jones, chairman of the Meat Board, states that the word “not” wa-s inserted ‘in the published version of a statement made by him when commenting on the possible restriction of imports of beef into Britain, and made it appear that Mr Jones did not consider the restrictions a serious matter for New Zealand. Mr Jones decla.res that lie emphasised the great importance of beef production to the Dominion not only because of its value, but also because of the necessity of cattle for the improvement of pastures.