URGENT NEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26749, 19 April 1948, Page 6

URGENT NEED

NEW ZEALAND MEAT AIDING BRITISH RATIONS SOUND TRADE BASIS “If we are going to get away from the necessity of rationing meat •at Home, not only have we got to restore our own production, which will take some years, but also we will have to get many thousands of tons more meat from overseas than we have been getting recently,” said Sir Henry Turner, controller of meat and live stock to the British Ministry .of Food, in an address broadcast last night. Sir Henry said he was glad to be able to speak to the New Zealand primary producer about a great opportunity that presented itself for the Dominion to help the Old Country and at the same time increase New Zealand’s trade by increasing the production of meat for export. “Before the war our important supplies came from South America, New' Zealand, and Australia—in that order so far as quantities are concerned,” Sir Henry said. “ South America, and particularly the Argentine, will probably remain an important supplier to the British market, but. owing to industrial developments, there is little likelihood that the Continent will be. able t.Q supply anything like the quantities they used to supply before the war—they are eating locally a much bigger proportion than they did before the war. Market Capacity “We believe there are great possibilities of increased supplies from Australia and New Zealand. We believe, however, that Australia and New Zealand together, putting out their utmost effort for increased production, cannot over-do the capacity of the British market for many years to come. We in Britain want all the extra meat that New Zealand and Australia can produce if we are going to be able to get away from rationing,” Sir Henry declared. . “ I think we shall be able to give you a reasonably long-term assurance of a market in Britain for all you can produce, and I think we shall be able to give you an assurance of fair prices during that period,” he continued. “If you have stability of markets and fair prices for a period like that, I hope you will agree that you can go forward to increase your production with utmost confidence. These things will be the subject of early negotiations between the British and New Zealand Governments. “It has often been suggested that you cannot increase your production unless you get bigger supplies of certain materials (like fencing wire), and that Britain should send more of these things. We should like to send you more of these things from Britain, but we must ask you still to be patient, because we in Britain are still in the throes of recovering from the recent struggle and, while we are bending our effort towards increasing our exports, we have a great deal of essential work to do on the home front in order to make our own living conditions reasonably respectable. Security Value “We value deeply the sentiment that exists in New Zealand towards the Old Country,” Sir Henry said. “ However, we have not come out here to ask you to enter into any arrangement based on sentiment, but to enter into business arrangements under which we will buy at fair prices all the meat you can produce. If you value the traditional association between New Zealand and Britain on an economic basis, or if you value it on the basis of your own security, you’ have a chance now and for many years of strengthening that association and at the same time building up the real wealth of New Zealand above all previous levels.”