REDUCTION BASIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 14

REDUCTION BASIS

LOW TOTAL OF 1938 MR. ACLAND'S COMMENT THE QUESTION OF PRICES NO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE [BY TF.LEGRA.rn—rnuss association] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday The seriousness of tho British Government's reduction by 3 per cent on last year's importation of Dominion frozen meat was suggested in figures quoted this evening by tho president of the New Zealand Sheep-owners' Federation, Mr. D. H. Acland. Ho said that tho position would bo fully discussed at an early meeting of tho Meat Board. Tho first comment made by Mr. Acland was that the restriction appeared to be based on last year's tonnage. That was the lowest for New Zealand since the Ottawa agreement was made. Under tlio Ottawa agreement New Zealand was allowed 195,000 tons, with 5000-ton increases. Last year the tonnage was 185,000, and tho Dominion was, under the new regulations, to bo cut 3 per cent on tho 185,000 tons. The second point made by Mr. Acland was that tho restriction was placed on tonnage, not on tho number of carcases. Last year the average weight of New Zealand lambs was moro than lib. below that in 1936. Tho average weight was under 331b., and two years ago over 341b. In 1938, 9,000,000 quartern were exported. "It cannot for a moment be seriously contended that the fall in prices in England was due to increased supplies from New Zealand," Mr. Acland said. "The restriction on Australia and New Zealand jointly, running into, say, 8000 tons of mutton and lamb, cannot possibly affect prices in England."

RECIPROCAL TRADE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARK {>Y TELECItAPJI —PItiSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday Commenting on the meat quota cablegram, the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, said: "We have been definitely of tho opinion that if the people of Britain could do with a lot more of our meat, we could do with a lot more of their manufactured goods. That has been our policy right from the beginning. Wo cannot shape tho policy of Britain."

DECISION REGRETTED MR. NASH'S OPINION "CAN ADAPT OURSELVES" "I think we can adapt ourselves to the new circumstances created by the quota," said tho Minister of Marketing, tho Hon. W. Nash, when the cablegram announcing tho British Government's decision was referred to him yesterday. He expressed regret that there was to bo a reduction in the quantities of New Zealand mutton and lamb admitted into Britain.

The Minister said that he was unable to comment further until ho had read cables received in Wellington. He would make a full statement later. Since the latter part of last year negotiations between the British and the New Zealand Governments had been in progress, Mr. Nash added. Mo had been kept fully informed of developments. It was too early at present to forecast the effects of tho restriction, the Minister said. If, however, the British market could not take the whole of tho mutton and lamb available for export from New Zealand, tho Government would be able to deal with tho position in some other way.