BRITISH FARMERS’ FEARS

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1933, Page 9

BRITISH FARMERS’ FEARS

CRASH IN CHEESE PRICES COMPETITION OF THE DOMINIONS. RESTRICTION AGAIN REQUESTED. EFFECT OF OTTAWA DECISIONS. By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. London, March. 2. At a meeting of the British Dairy Farmers’ Association several speakers referred to the Ottawa decisions regarding the Dominions’ cheese imports having a disastrous effect on the British cheesemakers, whose prices did not realise half the cost of production. The association passed a resolution that the present deplorable position of the British cheese industry was a menace to the success of any national milk scheme, and asking the Minister of Agriculture to take steps to save the industry from complete collapse. Mr. W. E. Elliot, Minister of Agriculture, replying to Sir C. Cayzer, said the question of dealing with cheese imports on the same lines as meat was still under consideration.

Sir C. Cayzer said that New Zealand cheese was selling retail at 5Jd a lb, with the result that the Cheshire industry was on the verge of collapse. He urged immediate consultation with the Dominions with a view to a voluntary restriction on imports.

NEGOTIATIONS OVER BUTTER. PROGRESS SAID TO BE SLIGHT. London, March 2. Mr. S. M. Bruce, resident Australian Minister, and Sir Thomas Wilford, New Zealand High Commissioner, conferred with Mr. J. H. Thomas, Dominions Secretary, Mr. W. E. Elliot, Minister of Agriculture, and Government officials on butter restriction. It is understood little progress was made. Mr. Bruce is awaiting information from the Australian Cabinet sub-committee. Meanwhile Mr. Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, is similarly conferring with Danish representatives. The Press Association understands that 20 different proposals have already come before the British and Australian representatives with no immediate prospect of an agreement. Sir Thomas Wilford postponed his holidays in order to continue the discussions which, despite a denial that they arose from British conversations with foreign representatives, must be closely connected in practice. Meanwhile the stocks of butter in London total 21,000 tons, which is much larger than those in the corresponding period of 1932, and they are still rising.