THE QUOTA QUESTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21562, 5 August 1933, Page 10

THE QUOTA QUESTION

The statement of the High Commissioner for New Zealand that he is perfectly satisfied the British Government will not attempt to alter the Ottawa agreements may imply that the agitation for the imposition of quotas is no longer supported officially. Otherwise it has no significance, for th*> agreements could not be altered except by the consent of the Dominions. The danger was that such pressure might have been brought to bear upon their representatives that they would have felt impelled to advise their Governments to acquiesce. It i 3 still possible for the British Government to press the case, but there seems to be ground for the assumption that the question has been dropped, or at least deferred, and that no restrictions upon the dairy output of this season need be feared. A very strong argument was presented by Mr. Masters when he showed how vital to the Dominion's financial solvency is unhampered production, and compared our imports from Britain with those of other countries, some of which are competitors in the dairy market. Less has been heard of the opinions of those in Britain who oppose Empire quotas than of the arguments favouring them, but there is little doubt that they have been exerting !* strong influence. However, a vigorous effort was made to obtain' the consent of the Dominions. That consent has not been forthcoming. The New Zealand delegates leave to-day on their homeward journey, and the House of Commons has gone into recess. It is not at all likely, therefore, that any eleventhhour quota arrangement will be announced. It is. obvious, of course, that no quota could be imposed in respect of any commodity without the consent of all the Dominions which export it. A quota on butter would require the consent of Australia before any limitation could be accepted by New Zealand, but the Australian attitude is quite as definitely opposed to such a scheme as that of New Zealand. This firm resistance will not necessarily end Britain's drive for Empire quotas. The principle is the policy of the National Government, and is widely held among the farmers, who are more concerned for their own wellbeing than for the Imperial concept. By the time the Ottawa agreements terminate, however, conditions may have changed for the better, but, in any case, there will have been adequate opportunity for reflection and the gaining of a wider and longer vision.