POLICY ON MEAT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 131, 3 May 1935, Page 7

POLICY ON MEAT.

LEVY PLUS QUOTA. OUTLINE BY PAPER. (Times Cables.) LONDON, May 2. The Times reviews the meat question at length, and observes that the extension of the .British subsidy would not be well received by taxpayers. It concludes: Some combination between the levy system and restriction is inevitable. The levy system should be confined to beef exports. It is generally supposed that very' substantial preference would be offered to Dominion supplies. The only other requirement would be that tiie total proceeds would not amount to so much less than the present subsidy of £6,000,000 a year that the British taxpayer would have still to find a large sum.

This means a levy based on a definite allocation to • meat-producing countries. The allocation, which should not exclude the supply of chilled beef, could only take the form of imports of equal volume to last year’s with provision for a small percentage of increase over a subsequent period of years. If the reduction of foreign supplies were rather greater than the increase in Dominion supplies, there would be the required margin for expansion of British production. The danger of exporters exceeding the allocation would be met by charging alt excess imports with a levy so much higher than the normal rate as to be prohibitive. This is a- broad outline of the scheme, which must have occurred to present negotiators. No doubt the filling in of definite figures offers plenty of ground for argument, but, given goodwill, there need be no failure to reach agreement. FUNDAMENTAL BASIS. OF BRITISH PLAN. Received May o, 10.35 a.in. LONDON, May 2. The Australian Press Association understands that the Ti'mes’s leader referring to the eventual combination of the principles of the levy ana restriction represents the fundamentals of the British Government's plan during the meat negotiations, though the levy is unlikely to be applicable before November, 1936.