BRITISH MEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21855, 18 July 1934, Page 11

BRITISH MEAT

BONUS TO PRODUCERS EMERGENCY RESOLUTION ADOPTION BY COMMONS REGULATION OF IMPORTS By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright LONDON, July 36 In the House of Commons to-day the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Walter Elliot, introduced the Government's emergency resolution to provide for tlie payment of a rate not to exceed 5s per live cwt., and 9s 4d per cwt. deadweight, to producers of certain classes of cattle sold for slaughter in the United Kingdom. The Minister said that unless steps were taken to maintain the live stock industry a considerable section of the country would go out of cultivation.

The Dominions, as the result, of the Ottawa agreements, had gained an expanding share of the English beef market, which was 66 per cent as compared with 63 per cent before the Ottawa Conference. The home producer supplied 584,000 tons in 1930 as compared with 536.000 tons in 1932.

The demand for beef in Britain had declined from 691b. per head of the population in 1927 to 60.71b. in 1932. During the interregnum which the grant covered the Government proposed to regulate imports oither 'by arrangement or by order to put a bottom to the market. The Minister said he might be asked: if the prico level still fell was it proposed further to limit Dominion and foreign imports? Some measure of regulation would have to be undertaken. No one denied Britain's power to alter the supply position almost to any extent she wished, but she was not willing to contemplate it if an alternative could be found. There were already indications that certain countries might be willing to accept an alternative. The resolution was adopted by 215 votes to 42.