TAX ON MEAT

Southland Times, Issue 21855, 4 November 1932, Page 7

TAX ON MEAT

DEMAND IN BRITAIN SERIOUS POSITION OF INDUSTRY DUTY IMPROBABLE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 10.55 p.m.) London, November 3. The critical state of British agriculture is held to justify a demand for a meat tax on “foreign meat” made by agricultural groups representing 300 Conservative members of the House of Commons. The Daily Telegraph’s political correspondent, however, states that the Government has decided not under any circumstances to ask Parliament to agree to tax meat imports. The correspondent adds that a meat tax is not feasible, but the Government should be encouraged to come to some arrangement with Australia, New Zealand and the Argentine for a temporary immediate restriction of imports. Cabinet at length discussed the question of relief to the farming industry, as it fully realizes the gravity of the position of the livestock industry. Ministers are considering the possibility of securing a restriction of meat imports voluntarily, which matter will be discussed with the dominions. Agriculturalists are insistent that nothing will meet the case but an immediate duty of fourpence a pound on all imported meat with a preference of twopence to the dominions.

BRITISH PRODUCERS A COMPREHENSIVE DEMAND. London, November 2. The Farmers’ Union welcomes the Government’s foreign meat quota proposal, and urges immediate action for a greater reduction of imports. It informed Major Elliot (Minister of Agriculture) that the net decrease under the quota by June, 1934, would be only 22,360 tons, whereas it should be 100,000 tons. It urged that the reduction should be as follows:—Novem-ber-December, 20 per cent.; JanuaryMarch, ,1933, 30 per cent.; April-June, 35; July-September, 40; October-De-cember, 50; January-March, 1934, 50; April-June, 50. The union seeks a concurrent reduction of 5 per cent, in the imports of chilled beef and the temporary prohibition of imports of all Free State live stock.