NEW ZEALAND AND RUSSIA

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 225, 21 April 1933, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND AND RUSSIA

Mr. Forbes* Attitude

AWAITING ADVICE FROM

BRITAIN

No Information Received

Press Association.— Copyright

Christchurch, April 20.—The attitude of the New Zealand Government toward following the exanmio of Great Britain and imposing an embargo on the importation of certain Russian goods was explained by the Prime Minin a telephone conversation from ister. the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, his home at Cheviot this evening.

Mr. Forbos would not confirm the statement attributed to him in a message from Wellington that "The Government would take into immediate consideration the question of prohibiting imports of Russian goods into New Zealand." The position was, he said, that the Cabinet was unlikely to consider the situation at all unless and until it rereived official advice of the embargo 'mposed by the British Government. So far no official information had reached him, nor ha there been any official request that New Zealand should take action in sympathy with the British Government. The Prime Minister will return to Wellington by the ferry steamer on Saturday night. Whether the Cabinet will meet as soon as Monday will depend upon the number of Ministers at Parliament House. The signing by the British Government of a proclamation prohibiting 80 per cent, of Soviet imports into Britain will affect the importation of Siberian butter into Britain. The proportion of Soviet butter that has gone into Britain in the past is not large. Nevertheless it has represented about 4.46 per cent, of the total imports during the last five years. The Siberian season is short, however, and practically all of the imports to Britain have been made during the five months from June to October inclusive. The total amount of butter imported into Britain from all sources is fairly constant each month, so that during the comparatively short period of the year during which Siberian butter has been coming in it has represented far more than 4.46 per cent, of the total imports per month—probably nearly 10 per cent. The prohibition of 80 per cent, of Siberian butter imports into Britain, which will come into effect on April 26, I will therefore affect Siberian exports at j a period when they are beginning to be | heavy. If the 80 per cent, ban means [ that only 20 per cent, of what was im- | ported formerly is to come into Britain I it will probably have the effect of lowj ering the total amount of butter imports j to Britain by more than the 6 per cent. restriction that has been mooted rerecently. What effect the embargo is expected by I London butter merchants to have on the i market was not known at New Plymouth | yesterday s no advice had been rei ceived by agents from the firms they ! represented. It was not expected there I would be any immediate effects, it was | stated, because the embargo would not | come into effect for a week and the j length of time it would be in force was ! indefinite.

The comparative amounts of Siberian and New Zealand butter and the total from all sources imported into Britain during the past five years are set out below. The figures are in tons for the periods from July of one year to June of the noxt, inclusive:—

tons ot Siberian butter were imported into Britain.

Siberian. N.Z. Total. 1927-28 .. 18,002 67,343 303,747 .. 18,109 64,8J6 317,868 1929-30 .. 10,632 65,496 323,662 1930-31 .. 9,620 87,491 360,265 1931-32 .. 19,661 _ 103,427 412,862 During ihe calendar year 1935 ! 16,145