BUTTER FOR CANADA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20721, 14 November 1930, Page 14

BUTTER FOR CANADA.

Sir.—o£ course no one in this Dominion has the right to interfere in anv way with any customs duty which the" Canadian Government thinks right to levy for the protection of its farmers, but, on the other hand if the New Zealand Government considers that the levying of any duty is unfair, taking reciprocal trade into consideration, it is up to it to retaliate in such way as it may think fit. However, this action goes a great deal farther than merely levying duty 011 New Zealand butter. * For practical purposes, .it means that butter will not bo allowed to bo shipped to Canada, for the simple reason that it makes trading under such terms and conditions an impossibility. What merchant is going to purchase Now Zealand butter when he does not, know until the arrival of the goods what they are going to cost him ? Should ho buy butter at a certain price and the market falls below the price at which he has purchased before shipment, then ho has to pay not onlv the eight cents per pound customs tariff, but also a dumping duty. If, on the other hand, the butter should go up in price before ifc is shipped, he receives no benefit as far as the customs duty is concerned. .Therefore, this enactment means prohibiten of imports of New Zealand butter. Now Zealand buys considerably more goods from Canada than Canada buys from us, but Canada gives no consideration to this important tact. .As our Prime Minister, Mr. G. W. Forbes, and the Canadian Primo Minister, Mr. Bennett,, are at present, in London, this surely is an opportune timo for New Zealand farmers to put in a very strong protest, against this prohibition imposed by a sister Dominion upon admission of their produce. 1 strongly urge that a 20 per cent, surtax on the f.o.b, homo consumption value be placed on all Canadian goods coming into this Dominion until this enactment is repealed; and I suggest further that farmers'' organisations in New Zealand take this matter up and interview the acting-prime Minister, Mr. Ransom, with the object of asking him to cable Mr. Forbes, asking him tn advise Canada in a friemilv way that such a surtax will be placed on all Canadian goods unless this unfriendly action is at onco repealed. Exi'ORTEK. /