SCIENCE IN FARMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21076, 9 January 1932, Page 15

SCIENCE IN FARMING.

PRODUCE FOR BRITAIN. anti-dumping bill. provisions of the act. DOMINION CHEESE " WELCOMED." [FIIOU A CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON. Nov. 26. Keen disappointment and not a little lyesentmept is felt by British farmers and dairying interests over the fact that the new anti-dumping bill—the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act—jnakes no provision for agricultural produce, and therefore leaves the question of food dumping as much "in the air" BSi hitherto. The strongest possible representations have been made to the Govcrnment to repair this omission, but at the time of writing the only comfort offered is that tho Minister of Agriculture (Sir John Gilmour) is "well aware of the situation" and eager to "give it consideration." Meanwhile, the Minister is having to cope with a bombardment of Parliamentary questions regarding the continued dumping of foreign butter. One member, for'example, asked if ho was aware that when British butter is blended with foreign butter no disclosure has to be made to the public that this concoction is being served to them. Ihe Minister admitted that 62,601cwt. of Russian butter was imported last month, as against only 19,988c wt. a year ago, and added that an order had recently been placed before Parliament compelling such butter to be plainly marked as foreign. Short-lived Satisfaction. Tho satisfaction caused by this latter announcement was short-lived, for in reply to a further question the MinisJer disclosed that, owing to the general election intervening, the long overdue butter marking order could not be put into operation before next May. In spite of these set-backs members are continuing to press for measures to protect farmers and the public again the dumping activities of foreign counIries and P in these efforts they are being stoutly hacked up by the Empire Dairy Council, one member of which—Mr. JG. Stapleton, of the British Dairy er c' Association —openly expressed the opinion that the time had arrived for the imposition forthwith of an emergency tariff on, all foreign butters of 3d to 4d 6 In advocating this step, Mr. Stapleton took care to emphasise that if>_ should involve no increase in the price of unblended butters, since New Zealand and other dairying Dominions expected record dairying seasons, and would, therefore be'in a position to send immense cargoes .'of butter to the Home market. One of the most interesting, and certainly the most spectacular, events of_ the month was the ceremonial welcome given by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Maurice Jenks, to the first big shipment of this season's full-crei*m cheese from (New Zealand. Hearty Greeting to Cargo. A happy inspiration on the part of the eragnisers; the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, resulted in u«c- mncaon taKinc 'place during the first week of the creat-l'Buy- British" campaign. _ Thus, but a few hours after the Prince of IWales had delivered his stirring call to the nation to "buy British from the Empire at home and overseas,' the- public ■were acquainted with the news—by reports in the press, photographs, talking pictures and wireless announcements that the Lord Mayor, his sheriffs, and other civic officers, had driven in state through the streets of London to give greeting to a cargo of richest cheese from Britain's youngest Dominion. Tt)e 'welcoming ceremony, attended by fanOus doctors, food experts, members of Parliament and other distinguished guests, took place in a famous old tea dock within a stone's throw of London Bridge, the Lord Mayor going aboard a decorated tug and barge to greet the High Commissioner for New Zealand (Sir Thomas- Wilford) and a bevy of New Zealand dairymaids. Later, over 90 guests, including representatives of Various agricultural organisations, wholesalers and retailers, sat down to an "economy luncheon,' at which the Lord Mayor, Professor Sir Leonard Hill, the eminent dietist. and Sir Douglas Newton, M.P., .made speeches commenting upon the movement toward Homo and Empire co-operation and upon the yalue of cheese as a food. Newspaper Comment. In point of fact this admirably conceived function has been of immense benefit. iu 'reminding the public of the great part played by New Zealand in helping to supply the food requirements of the Mother Country. Here is what leading British'papers said about it: — The Times. —"The occasion, it should be said, was fully worthy of the cheerful arid impressive dignity with which it was celebrated. Last year New Zealand supplied this country with nearly two-thirds of its total of about 155,000 tons of imported cheese. But it needs to do better still. With the establishment of its special cheese fleet it will be ablo during the next 12 months to ship to these shores 120,000 tons of British cheese and 180,000 tons of British butter. The barge-load honoured by the Lord Mayor brings us in fact a day s inarch nearer to the time when, given the true spirit of mutual goodwill throughout the Empire, the basic foodstuffs of this country will be produced, though -in different parts of the world, 5n British soil.-" The (jlrocer (a leading trade paper). — " The effect of the function has been to focus much valuable publicity on Empire goods, with results that are bound to react to tho benefit of the country, r •. *, Members of the trade can be relied on to see to it that their customers' requirements are satisfied, and that where home or Empire goods are demanded tliey shall lie supplied." _ >( In connection with the "Buy British' campaign, it is interesting to observe the patriotic note struck by the butter packers and blenders in their latest advertisements A year ago, when the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board supported the movement for a butter marking order, it was freely propnesied that they would bring a hornet's nest about their ears, yet '.o-day one may read in Me trade press advertisements by the sternest opponents of the marking order yhich include phrases which freely support the "Buy British" campaign and announce that their products ure wholly home and Empire. Truly, there are brighter days ahead ,or thorEmpire dairy industry.