NO NEED FOR PESSIMISM

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1934, Page 9

NO NEED FOR PESSIMISM

CONSIDERATION OF QUOTAS ADDRESS GIVEN BY MR. D. JONES. ARGENTINE CONTROL MEASURES. GREAT SAFEGUARD OF OTTAWA. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. New Zealand producers had no need yet to be pessimistic when considering quotas, said Mi - . David Jones, chairman of the Meat Producers’ Board, addressing farmers at Cheviot this evening. Mr. Jones described recent meat trade legislation passed in the Argentine; indicating the nature of control which misfit be necessary in New Zealand if quotas were imposed. This legislation gave wide powers to a board to control not only the meat exported but for local consumption. * The" New ’ Zealand Meat Producers Board had made very determined efforts to secure for' the pig products of the Dominion a larger share of the British market, and unless the board succeeded the Dominion was likely in a short time to mget the same position as had to be met in Denmark and Holland. The. only, really serious problem New Zealand had to meet was in beef exports. It'was not generally understood that Great Britain produced more than half the beef she consumed. If a levy was to be made on imported beef to raise the' price of cattle for the British farmer, the levy would have to, be substantial. He did not think a levy would be the solution of the difficulty, and NeW Zealand' co.uld most definitely not agree to it. Mr. Jones said it was a misconception to imagine that the quotas being discussed were a result of the Ottawa Conference. Ottawa established the principles of a quota, because Great Britain made it abundantly clear that she could not allow the whole of the world’s surplus of meat to be dumped on her markets to the ruin of her farmers. Fortunately the reductions made, and they were very substantial, had* been made almost entirely at the expense of the foreigner. If there were no Ottawa Agreement Great Britain would no doubt already have made drastic regulations, but New. Zealand had a great safeguard till the ’ term • of the agreement expired.