HIDES AND SKINS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23491, 31 October 1939, Page 9

HIDES AND SKINS

U. NEEDS OF BRITAIN I - •• . * J LONG NEGOTIATIONS H finality not reached ■ ■ '■ t, 7-', KEVIEW BY MR, NASH K..J .[by telegraphs-own correspondent] WELLINGTON, Monday The progress of the New Zealand F' Government's negotiations with the ; - British Government for the purchase crJs of, hides and pelts and by-products was .reviewed by tli<s Minister of Marketing. the Hon. W. Nash, in a statement to-night. Negotiations which were under way, Sir. Nash said, should bring finality regarding the; appraisement of wool. Wool not properly classed on delivery .to the. store should not in the meantime be reclassed or binned by the broker. As soon as the types had been finally determined all woolbrokers vrould be advised.Commodities Needed On the subject of tallow, hides, calf skins, sheep and lamb pelts, woolly sheep skins, rabbits, sausage casings and tinned meats, Mr. Nash said that ' the Government bad asktnl the United Kingdom on September 9 what its requirements of these commodities would . be. > The United Kingdom replied on September 23 that tinned meats, hides and calf skins would be required, Casings and rabbits might be required, / but no undertalcing to purchase could be given in the meantime. Bobby calf skins, of the quality mainly used in luxury leather trades in Canada and the United State's, would not be required. Permits had been issued for the - export of bobby calf skins to Canada and the United States. Estimate for the Season A list of. all. stpeks on hand and a schedule of grades of hides, skins and other products had been sent to the United Kingdom at its request > on October 21, ancb* an estimate of the - coming season's supply for the purpose of discussing prices had been promised for the present week. . A further urgent cablegram had been »■;. gent on October 27 asking if woolly slveep skins .were required, but no . reply had so far been received. The , last communication was received on • "Sunday through the United Kingdom High Commissioner, Sir Harry Batter- , bee. stating that,it was not possible •_ to' give a definite reply to urgent in- j quirips regarding hides and skins, but the tanning industry hoped to be able to take all the exportable surplus other , than the normal, export to Canada. Formation ol Pool ;

All purchases would be made through a pool. This was still indefinite, but discussions would be continued among the interested parties in the Dominion to determine the best procedure to [follow in the interests of New Zealand and the farmers., Hides and shins came under the general regulation, that prices should not in the meantime go higher than those ruling on September 1, so that war profits should be controlled, Mr. Nash continued. The Government had

to make sure that if the JJnited lungmodities they should he rnnde available. It was also necessary to ensure that goods should not be shipped through neutrals to enemy countries. Accordingly under the export regulations the Government had provided that the export' of hides and skins should be prohibited without the consent of the Minister of Customs. Export-Procedure

The procedure was that exports of bv-prr,ducts, except sheep skins, were : made under permits issued on the following conditions: —(1) The exporter contracted to pay to the Government anv profits ill excess of normal, the amount to be* determined by the Controller of Primary Production. (2) The exporter undertook to keep proper accounts of all transactions in hides and pelts. (3) Ahy documents needed ■ ' ,bv tlie Controller of Primary Production should be produced. Lists of items and prices for the sale of edible offal exchanged and the parties were now negotiating to reach finality. As in the case of other goods the New Zealand Government would be purchasing what was res quired and selling to the British Government. The final purchase price of canned meats had not yet been settled, nor had' the United Kingdom been able to give either quantity or price for sausage casings. ' A list of of tallow and prices thought to be reasonable had been sent to the United Kingdom. Some contract"! had been .made by the British Government and arrangements had been made to allow quantities of New Zealand tallow to go away accordingly- '