THE MEAT AGREEMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 195, 17 July 1935, Page 2

THE MEAT AGREEMENT

ACTING-PREMIER’S COMMENT. VERY SATISFACTORY RESULT. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 16. Commenting on the meat agreement in London, the acting-Prime Minister (Sir Alfred Ransom) to-day made the following statement: “Following negotiations with the Imperial authorities by the Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) and the Minister of Finance (Mr Coates) in London, Mr Coates has concluded a mutton and lamb agreement with the United Kingdom and Australia. This agreement, from New Zealand’s point of view, must be regarded as satisfactory. First, he has secured an undertaking from the United Kingdom Government that no levy or duty will be placed bn our mutton and lamb. This means that some hundreds of thousands of pounds will be saved to the New Zealand producer.

“Some months ago the British Government proposed that, in order to subsidise their beef producers, a levy would be placed on all meat imports entering the United Kingdom. Beef prices were low, whereas mutton and lamb prices were satisfactory. The British problem is a beef problem, yet the proposal in effect was that our mutton and lamb producers were to be penalised in order to subsidise British home-grown beef. The British Government further stated that the only alternative to the levy was a drastic quota on imports. This then was the dilemma facing our meat delegation. Wo were offered a. choice between a levy—which would press more heavily on New Zealand than on any other Dominion —and a quota—which would drastically reduce our exports to the United Kingdom. “This brings me to my second point,” continued Sir Alfred. “Not only has our delegation saved hundreds of thousands of pounds to New Zealand by securing that our export mutton and lamb shall not be taxed, but it has also secured a quota for 1936 which will allow for over a 10 per cent, expansion of arrivals of 1 New Zealand mutton and lamb in the United Kingdom in 1936. If the maximum amount of mutton and lamb arranged for 1936 is exported it will be a record year. “We feared a levy or heavily restrictive quotas. The news now cabled says there is no levy and a definite agreement for regulated expansion. It is good news. Tin? shadow of restriction is lifted from mutton and lamb. We can only hope that the beef question when finally settled—and this is expected shortly—will be just as satisfactory.” < ‘EMINENTLY SATISFACTORY. ’ ’ MR POLSON’S VIEW. BENEFIT TO DOMINION. WELLINGTON, July. 17. . “The agreement, in my opinion, is an eminently satisfactory one/’ Mr . J. Poison, M.P., the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Uuion, declared in comment he made on the cabled summary at the conference of delegates of branches last evening in Wellington, “It was never expected by any ot us who had seen the correspondence passing on this matter and had been in touch with the details that we would secure an agreement as satisfactory as this one is,” he remarked amid applause. “This agreement is going to mean a tremendous amount or money to the producers of this country.” Commenting on the provisions of the agreement as announced by cable, he said .that for the last six months of 1935 Australia would send a larger proportion of mutton and lamb than in 1936. The reason was that New Zealand was practically at the end of its season, whereas the season was just getting under way in Australia. The figures for next year gave the true comparison. New Zealand's quantity on this basis represented the peak export production of the country at a time when the stock of sheep was considerably larger than at present. “There is no prospect that wo will be able to send more than is allotted to us,” he said. “Virtually there is no restriction.” A delegate: What about the levy on us? Mr Poison: There is no levy. It is not mentioned in the agreement. I do not think there will be any levy. Mr Poison, discussing beef and veal, said the quantity allowed in the agreement just about represented what the country W'ould desire to send, but this could "be increased through the allowance made for the carry-over. ,r The allowance covers a quantity quite adequate for the exports we are likely to make,” he said. “As I have stressed on every occ&sion that opportunity has offered, it is highly desirable that we should swing over as far as possible from pork to bacon, and not only fill the quota allotted us, but perhaps secure an extension,” he said, discussing the provisions of the agreement concerning pork and bacon. “We have a much better chance of getting ail extended proportion of bacon than of pork.” A delegate: How do you propose to get over the difficulty of food for bacon pigs instead of pork pigs?. Mr Poison: That is a food production problem. I am. now discussing the export side and stating a general principle. He suggested that a cable should be sent to the Dominion representatives at the meat conferences congratulating them on their success in England. After one delegate had protested that this was introducing politics into the affairs of the union, the motion was carried on the voices by an overwhelming majority.