AGREEMENT ON MEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21291, 19 September 1932, Page 11

AGREEMENT ON MEAT

EXPORTS NOT RESTRICTED

DOMINION MUTTON AND LAMB

REGULATING FOREIGN IMPORTS

UNDERTAKING BY BRITAIN

[BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL R3PORTER] WELLINGTON. Sunday

The exact terms of New Zealand's meat agreement with Great Britain are being withheld in the meantime, but the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates said on his return to Wellington to-day from the Ottawa Conference that he would make a statement on the question at the civic reception on Tuesday evening. Mr. Coates confirmed the report that there would be no restriction on New Zealand's exports of mill ton and lamb, such as had been accepted by Australia,/and said that it was incorrect to say that in other respects the New Zealand and Australian agreements were identical.

In reply to a question, Mr. Coates said he was unable to explain the full terms of the New Zealand agreement at the moment, for the reason that Britain intended to negotiate with other countries whose exports of meat to Britain would be affected by the Ottawa agreements. Britain hoped to be able to make favourable trading relations with her foreign suppliers and in the meantime the terms of the Ottawa conclusions would not be published. "A different method has been adopted for assisting meat producers in the Empire," said Mr. Coates, after dealing with achievements at Ottawa concerning tariff preferences. "The United Kingdom undertakes to regulate the imports from foreign countries of all meat and pig meats, beef, mutton and lamb. These are to be restricted to an extent that is set out in black and white in our agreement. The twofold purpose is to raise prices to a remunerative level and to increase the share of the Dominions in the meat market of the United Kingdom.. "To-day the Dominions supply only 24 per cent of the United Kingdom's meat imports, foreign sources supplying 76 per cent. That is a position that can well be improved. Furthermore, the meat markets of the United Kingdom, particularly in the past year or two, have been flooded with imports of bacon and other meats which have been shut out of Continental markets. This led to a disastrous price collapse and to waste of supplies beyond anything the market could absorb. In short, the position was one which no tariff could correct.

"In any case, as far as meat was concerned, it was made perfectly clear to tho Dominions at Ottawa that the British Government could not, at the present time contemplate a tariff on meat. "Reports to the contrary of statements to the effect that the Dominions rejected an offer of a tariff and insisted instead on regulation of the quantities of moat imports, while British Ministers opposed this plan, are utterly false and misleading. This is one of the misunderstandings that has been conveyed to the people of New Zealand. The arrangement between New Zealand and Great Britain on the subject of meat is set out in a letter which I addressed to Mr. Baldwin. This letter, except for a few sentences which must remain confidential pending certain negotiations with foreign countries, I shall release at an early date." Mr. Coates stated that New Zealand would supply Britain with estimates of the Dominion's meat exports at the beginning of the season and by virtue of a gentleman's agreement would not exceed those amounts. The Meat Board was able to prepare such estimates in the first month of the exporting season and past experience had shown that, the figures had proved very reliable.