BUTTER INTERESTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 9

BUTTER INTERESTS

DELEGATES IN SYDNEY EXPORT RESTRICTION PLAN AUSTRALIAN OPPOSITION REGULATION NOT FAVOURED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 19, 11.45 p.m.) SYDNEY. April 19 The report of Mr. C. Handbury, one of the Australian delegates who recently visited New Zealand, presented to his colleagues on the Dairy Produce Export Board at the conference with delegates from the New Zealand Dairy Board, stated that the delegates to the Dominion conferred with the New Zealand Board. Tho latter expressed strong opposition, to any restriction of exports, but suggested a system of regulated shipments providing for consignments of Australian and New Zealand butter, to be reduced by 1000 tons each month during March, April and May, and by foreign countries by 3000 tons each month over the same period. This was suggested as a temporary measure, but it was opposed by Mr. Handbury and Mr. Clarke as beinz contrary to tho Australian Board's objective, and it was felt that it might lead to tho adoption of the quota system. Mr. Handbury's report said it was also stated that the proposal had been fully discussed by tho Australian Board, which protested against it as a dangerous precedent. "We explained that such a practice would be detrimental to our local sales," the report continued. "We fully explained our organisation in Australia and stated that our concurrence with the suggested restriction might establish conditions adverse to the stabilisation plan and the price of dairy products in Australia." Mr. Handbury declared that ho was strongly of opinion that if the Commonwealth Government would give the Dairy Produce Export Board statutory power for a levy and bounty plan it would be laying a sound foundation to start to build up the industry again and save it from destruction. Dairymen in New Zealand envied the stabilisation plan. The report formed the basis of discussions with the New Zealand delegates. The New Zealand and Australian delegates conferred again to-day and are to continue their discussions to-morrow. The utmost secrecy is being observed and delegat.es interrogated separately were not prepared to disclose the trend of the discussions. However, an official statement is expected at the close of the conference.

The reference by Mr.' Handbury to the New Zealand Dairy Board's suggested regulation of shipment is taken in Auckland dairying circles to mean that Australia and New Zealand should each reduce shipments by 1000 tons in each month of the period March. April, May: New Zealand's butter exports for the current season were recently estimated at 120,000 tons, and 1000 tons a month would be a reduction of 10 per cent in the export total.