EXPORT OF MERINOS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19372, 9 July 1937, Page 11

EXPORT OF MERINOS

N.Z. WATCHING POSITION STATEMENT BY MINISTER THE AUSTRALIAN BAN (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. "With a view to preventing stud Merino sheep imported into New Zealand from Australia being re-exported elsewhere, the New Zealand Government has agreed to co-operate with the Australian authorities." This statement was made by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, when referring to-night to the recent cable message from Sydney stating that the opinion was expressed at the last annual conference of the Graziers' Association of New South Wales that the effectiveness of the embargo on the export of Merino sheep from Australia was endangered by the sale of sheep to New Zealand.

"A re-exportation is carefully guarded against," said the Minister, "and from inquiries made it has been ascertained that in no case has Aus-tralian-bred sheep been re-exported from New Zealand. The Government has the co-operation of stock and station agents, who are principally concerned in the importation of sheep from Australia, and it is quite clear that the correspondent referred to in the cable is not conversant with the position. "Recently, 250 Merino sheep were exported to Japan, but these sheep were obtained from a flock which has not had any fresh Australian blood introduced into it for many years past, and apart from this shipment, the export of Merino sheep from New Zealand is of very small moment. The officers of my department will con* tinue to keep a close watch on the position and the Graziers' Association of New South W:%Les need have no fear that Australian-bred Merino sheep will be re-exported from this Dominion, steps having been taken to adequately safeguard against this possibility."