THE MEAT QUOTA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22519, 13 March 1935, Page 7

THE MEAT QUOTA

AUSTRALIA'S HOPES MORE GENEROUS TREATMENT (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) CANBERRA, March 12. Dr Earle Page states: "If the British Government imposes quotas for the second quarter of this year based on the average for the last three years it will be disastrous for the Australian industry. It would be unfair to Australia, compared with its effect on New Zealand, because New Zealand's record export year three years ago gave the Dominion the benefit on the average basis. . Australia hopes to obtain a much more generous quota for the second quarter if the British Government decides on any form of restriction." SHIPMENTS HELD UP SYDNEY, March 12. (Received March 12, at 9.50 p.m.) Nineteen thousand carcasses of mutton and lamb, due for loading into three ships here to-day, have been held up owing to the sudden suspension by the Commonwealth Government of licenses for export, pending the completion of the negotiations with the British Government for regulation of April-June shipments. The Britisli Government had suggested that the April-June quota should not exceed the second quarter of last year, about 405,000 cwt, which has already been shipped. The Commonwealth, however, expects to have 700,000 cwt of mutton and lamb available for export during the forthcoming quarter. < The acting Prime Minister (Dr Earle Page) explained to-day that the Commonwealth had asked the British Government to agree to a substantial increase in the quota and negotiations regarding the matter were now in progress. The Commonwealth Government, he added, felt that it would be wiser temporarily to suspend licenses for further shipments, as the British Government, acting within its own rights, might impose definite limitations on the amount that would be allowed to land in England, and it would be better to keep the meat in cold storage here than run the risk of having it dumped overseas. LOSS TO SHIPOWNERS MELBOURNE, March 12. (Received March 13, at 1.30 a.m.) The cancellation of the shipping space for mutton and lamb will result in heavy losses for almost every oveaseas shipping company, as most vessels engaged in the export trade are sent to Australia either in ballast or only lightly laden. Shipowners also complain of the brief notification given of the suspension of export licenses.