DAIRY PRODUCE

Southland Times, Issue 22297, 12 April 1934, Page 7

DAIRY PRODUCE

UNLIMITED IMPORTS BRITAIN’S MILK SCHEME JEOPARDIZED UNSATISFACTORY PRICES (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, April 19. Replying to complaints in the House of Commons that the unlimited importation of butter and cheese was throwing the home milk scheme into chaos, Mr W. Ormsby-Gore, in the absence of Mr Walter Elliot, Minister of Agriculture, said that on a free import basis there was not a single agricultural product which could not be obtained cheaper from overseas than it could be produced here. Despite a 15 per cent, duty, the importation of foreign butter had not declined in the past three years. Imports of foreign cheese and condensed milk had been substantially reduced, but there had been a continuous, rapid and unexpected increase in the imports of dominion butter and cheese, which was the basic cause of the home milk price being unsatisfactory as it prevented farmers from obtaining a decent price for home milk products. The only solution was a big increase in the consumption of fresh milk in Britain. The Manchester Guardian says: “There is a real danger, if Mr Walter Elliot insists on pushing _ his schemes for promoting British agriculture, that the logical conclusion will be, to antagonize the dominions. New Zealand seems resigned to selling as much as possible, ev.en to dumping, while Ottawa protects her. When the agreement expires she will inevitably develop her secondary industries behind a tariff wall, excluding British goods. “Ottawa gave the dominions a privileged market, and withdrawal would mean serious repercussions to Britain’s export trade. The British consumer must also be prepared to pay higher prices for food in order that the British farmer may be fully occupied.”

MILK BOARD’S PLANS

ERECTION OF BUTTER FACTORY.

(United Press Assn. —Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 8.5 p.m.) London, April 11. Addressing conservative members of the House of Commons, Mr Thomas Baxter, chairman of the Milk Marketing Board, stated that in order to assist raising the price of the manufactured article the Milk Board contemplated the erection of a butter factory. If successful it would consider the manufacture of tinned milk and other products.

DAIRY BOARD

SPECIAL MEETING HELD.

STATEMENT BY MR lORNS.

(Per United Press Association.)

Wellington, April 11

Measures for the assistance of dairy farmers in their present difficulties were discussed at a special meeting of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board in Wellington to-day. These discussions will be continued to-morrow and when definite proposals have been decided upon the board will again meet members of the Government and resume the conversations commenced before Easter. Although no definite time has yet been fixed for this meeting between Cabinet and the board, the indications are that it will take place tomorrow afternoon. Discussing the question of negotiations with Great Britain with a reporter the chairman of the board, Mr W. A. lorns, said that some alternative to the present situation would have to be found. The Home Government had arranged to subsidize the English milk producer until the Ottawa agreement expired. “I understand from advice from Australia,” said Mr lorns, “that the High Commissioner for Australia in London, Mr S. M. Bruce, who is at present visiting the Commonwealth, has met several dairy organizations and pointed out to them that there is not the slightest doubt that restrictions or tariffs on dairy produce entering the United Kingdom must eventuate when the present Ottawa agreement runs out.

TOUR CANCELLED

CONTROL BOARD’S CHAIRMAN.

(Per United Press Association.)

Wellington, April 11. The chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, Mr W. A. loms, has cancelled his plans for his contemplated trip to the East this winter Mr lorns, who was recently in the Old Country, has an intimate knowledge of the marketing proposals for New Zealand produce from the London end and in view of this fact it has been considered not advisable for him to leave the Dominion at the present time.