FAIR TREATMENT

Southland Times, Issue 25367, 20 August 1935, Page 8

FAIR TREATMENT

MEAT NEGOTIATIONS SATISFACTORY TERMS SECURED MR FORBES’S COMMENT (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, August 19. “New Zealand has every reason to feel satisfied with the result of the meat negotiations which took place in England,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, on his arrival in Wellington this morning. “The terms and figures agreed upon have already been published and no doubt have been dealt with fully by Mr Coates. Whilst the discussions were more protracted than we would have wished, it must be remembered that the time of British Ministers was greatly taken up at this period with a consideration of a number of other vitally important questions such as the European situation and the reconstruction of the Government, and it was not an easy matter for them to fit in the meetings with the Dominion representatives when they had also their ordinary duties to carry on. This, of course, made it difficult and inconvenient for the Ministers from overseas, who were anxious to have an agreement reached and to return to their homes at the earliest possible opportunity. I am satisfied that we received every consideration from the United Kingdom Ministers and they were perfectly fair in all their dealings with us and endeavoured to meet the position as far as practicable, having regard to their obligations under the treaties with other countries and the interests of their own farmers. I am convinced that they were anxious to do everything possible to facilitate a mutually satisfactory conclusion to the negotiations and that they would have liked to have gone further in this direction, but for the existence of these treaties.

“Nothing to Fear.”

“I confidently believe as a result of the impression I gained when in England of the very strong feeling of friendship towards the dominions that exists there, that we have nothing to fear as to the treatment we will receive from the United Kingdom Government when the present treaties and agreements expire. I was unable to remain in London until the negotiations i ended, but before my departure Mr; Coates and I had agreed upon the lines of policy that New Zealand should take in the settlement of the few points remaining at the time to be finalized. I should like at this stage,” said Mr Forbes, “to pay tribute to my colleague for the satisfactory manner in which the negotiations were concluded. From my knowledge of the position it was no easy task he had to perform.” The Prime Minister referred to the great advantage of having Mr T. A. Duncan and Mr J. Fraser, chairman and genera] manager respectively of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, present in London during the progress of the negotiations as their knowledge and advice were of considerable assistance to Mr Coates and himself at many points of the discussions and the fact the board representatives had concurred in the arrangements should give weight to the claim that New Zealand had cause for satisfaction with what had been achieved. Heart to the Farmers. Mr Forbes also expressed the view that primary producers would no doubt feel greatly relieved that their fears of severely curtailed imports of meat into the United Kingdom and the possibility of a levy on mutton and lamb had been swept away. By the arrangements that had been made it should give heart for the farming community, whose prospects of getting out of their difficulties were at one time so much overshadowed by what might happen to their main, market. “I felt greatly relieved when the Marama got away from the wharf at Sydney,” said the Hon. G. W. Forbes, when referring to his enforced stay in Sydney. “Our party had accommodation reserved on the Wanganella, which, in the first instance, was due to sail on August 10, and then postponed till the 12th, but the shipping trouble intervened and that steamer has now been laid up indefinitely. It was very irksome being held up in this way, especially as I was most anxious to get back to New Zealand to take part in the preparation of business for the Parliamentary session. However, our sojourn in Sydney was made very pleasant by the Commonwealth as well as by the State Governments. We were the guests of the Federal Government and they did everything possible to entertain us and to make us comfortable.

“I cannot express too high an apprection of the kindness and hospitality shown us on all sides by Ministers, officials and private individuals in each centre at which we touched. During our travels round the coast in the Maloja the various State Governments entertained us and provided us with facilities for seeing many places of interest which those cities assuredly possess. There is no doubt that there is a strong bond of friendship between Australians and New Zealanders and evidences of this were frequently given me by New Zealand people who have made their homes in Australia. In my journey through Canada, too, en route to England, I was made to feel the existence of a strong Empire sentiment. One met with kindness at every point and hospitality was generously accorded to the members of the New Zealand party by the Government, as well as by people in private capacities. I was impressed by the keen desire of the Government and business interests to co-operate with us in every possible way in the development of trade between the two dominions. They were very anxious that the existing trade agreement should be retained and, if possible, extended along lines which might Drove mutually beneficial,” concluded Mr Forbes.