DOMINIONS’ PRODUCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18378, 21 April 1934, Page 5

DOMINIONS’ PRODUCE

MARKETING AT HOME AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE RESTRICTIONS OPPOSED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Tress Assn.) CANBERRA, April 20. “Australia will have to realise that there are very definite limits to the quantities of major commodities that she will be able to export other than wool and gold,” declared Mr. S. M. Bruce, the High Commissioner, at the opening of a conference to-day of interstate Premiers and Ministers, which is discussing overseas marketing problems. He said, that New Zealand and Australia, were the greatest exporters ol mutton and lamb to the United Kingdom., If these countries regulated thensupplies, and thus ensured a maintenance ;of remunerative prices, no action would be taken, if, oil the other hand, New Zealand and Australia continued to increase their, exports as in the past, the British Government, in defence of its own agriculture, would he compelled to take action.

Referring to butter, Mr. Bruce said the problem for Australia and New Zealand was whether it would be better to enter, into ail agreement of a standstill character with Britain, covering one or two years, or whether they should refuse to enter any arrangement which protected them, under the Ottawa agreement, from the imposition ol restrictions. ALTERNATIVE TO QUOTA If, say, Australia adopted the latter course, she would have to recognise that for the next 15 months, until the expiry of the three-year period of the Ottawa agreement, there would be an intensification of competition in butter on the British market between Australia, New Zealand and Denmark. This would preclude any possibility of a rise in price and might involve a further decline, while' at the etui of the three-year period, Australia would probably have to face British restrictions in the interests of home producers. Representatives of all States, excepting Western Australia, at the conference, expressed opposition to the principle of restriction. Ministers, having heard Mr. Bruce, engaged in a frank interchange of views, the keynote of which was hostility to the restriction of exports. Dr. Earle Page advocated a specific treaty with Britain, designed to overcome the difficulties outlined by Mr. Bruce. If, for example, Britain desired a restriction to 50,000 tons of butter, and Australia desired that this should apply only to foreign butter, she must be prepared to give Britain trade equivalent to the loss of foreign trade. Some national authority, for example, the Federal Agricultural Council, should be capable of formulating an export marketing policy, which could embrace the co-operation of the New Zealand Government.

Statistics prepared for the conference showed the tremendous growth of Australian butter production and exports in recent years. The exports increased 81 per cent, in 1932 compared with 1930.

The Prime Minister, Mr J. A. Lyons, stated that invitations had been extended to New Zealand to send a delegation to discuss the marketing problem with Australia, but no reply had yet been received. , ~jf ■- ‘EMPIRE OR FOREIGN? BRITISH OVERSEAS TRADE DIVERSE VIEWS EXPRESSED LONDON, April 20. Special interest attaches to a declaration made by Mr. Walter Runciman at the annual dinner of the Associated Chambers of Commerce. He said: “I am still an unrepentant internationalist, and refuse to accept the arguments of those who say despairingly that it is impossible to revive foreign trade. Their arguments appeal to fear, to suspicion of our neighbor nations, and to national prejudice. I am proud we have completed commercial pacts with nine foreign countries, all of which are operating successfully. We are now negotiating with seven others.”

Sir James Parr reminded the gathering of the value of the Dominions' trade to Britain, and said she should not jeopardise it.: Australia and New Zealand, despite the comparative smallness of their populations, bought- more irom Britain than any other country except India. Moreover, the Dominions, from reasons of both sentiment and self interest, were most anxious to increase their purchases from Britain. Britain would be studying her own best interests by building up Imperial, instead of foreign trade, remembering the Dominions’ capacity to buy from Britain was limited only by the amount that Britain bought from them.