THE MEAT NEGOTIATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22654, 20 August 1935, Page 7

THE MEAT NEGOTIATIONS

A SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT BENEFITS TO DOMINION FARMERS WORK OF EXPERTS PRAISED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 19. “ New Zealand has every reason to feel satisfied with the result of the meat negotiations which took place in England,” said Mr Forbes, on his arrival in Wellington this morning. “ The terms and figures agreed upon have already been published, and no doubt have been dealt with fully by Mr Coates. Whilst the discussions were more protracted than we would have wished, it must be remembered that the time of the British Ministers was greatly taken up at this period with the consideration of a number of other vitally important questions, such as the European situation and the reconstruction of the Government, and it was not an easy matter for them to fit in meetings with the Dominion representatives when they had also their ordinary duties to carry on. This, of course, made it difficult and inconvenient for Ministers from overseas, who were anxious to have an agreement reached and to return to their homes at the earliest possible opportunity. “ I am satisfied that we received every consideration from the United Kingdom Ministers, and they were perfectly fair in all their dealings with us and endeavoured to meet the position as far as practicable, having regard to their obligations under treaties with other countries and the interests of their own farmers. lam convinced that they were anxious to do everything possible to facilitate a mutually satisfactory conclusion to the negotiations and that they would have liked to have gone further in this direction but for the existence of .these treaties.

“ I confidently believe, as the result of the impression I gained when in England of the very strong feeling of friendship towards the dominions that exists there, that we have nothing to fear as to the treatment we will receive from the United Kingdom Government when the present treaties and agreements expire. I was unable to remain in London until the negotiations ended, but before my departure Mr Coates and I had agreed upon the lines of the policy that New, Zealand should take in the settlement of the few points remaining at the time to be finalised.

“ I should like at this stage,” said Mr Forbes, “to pay tribute to my colleague for the satisfactory manner in which the negotiations concluded. From my knowledge of the position, it was no easy task he had to perform.” The Prime Minister referred to the great advantage of having Mr T. A. Duncan and Mr J. Fraser, chairman and general manager respectively of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, present in London during the progress of the negotiations. Their knowledge and advice were of considerable assistance to Mr Coates and himself at many points of the discussions, and the fact that the board representatives had concurred in the arrangements should give weight to the claim that New Zealand had cause for satisfaction with what had been achieved.

Mr Forbes also expressed the view that primary producers would no doubt feel greatly relieved that their fears of severely curtailed Imports of meat into the United Kingdom and the possibility of a levy on mutton and lamb had been swept away by the arrangements that had been made. It should give heart to the farming community, whose prospects of getting out of their difficulties were at one time so much overshadowed by what might happen to their main market.