MEAT MARKETS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1935, Page 5

MEAT MARKETS

RESTRICTION NEEDED VIEWPOINT MAINTAINED LEVY INSTEAD OF QUOTA ONLY CHANGE IN PRACTICE AUSTRALIA’S DIFFICULTY By Telegraph—Press Assn— Copyright London, Feb. 20. Australia’s difficulty in reconciling the meat levy statement of Mr. W. E. Elliot, Minister of Agriculture, in the House of Commons on Monday with the agreement in principle, to which the Commonwealth subscribed, regarding meat marketing without restriction of Australia’s exports, may best be explained by emphasising that Mr. Elliot has not retreated from the viewpoint that restriction is necessary by substituting a levy for the quota. Mr. Elliot makes it clear that while Britain does not relish the task of undertaking orderly marketing of produce from the ends of the earth he remains convinced that meat exporters, particularly in Australia, will find from bitter experience that they must themselves arrange regulation of supplies in order to prevent a further fall in beef prices. Mr. Elliot’s explanation on Monday amounts to a change in practice rather than principle, for Britain’s administrative task is simplified by the introduction of the levy, while throwing upon the Dominions the responsibility of taking the consequences of poor prices if overloading of the market persists. The Dominions Office has received Canberra’s reply in connection with Dr. Page’s statement regarding the British meat proposals. Authoritative quarters decline to comment pending examination but a Government statement is imminent and it is hoped this will clear up the confusion. “Not only meat negotiations,” says The Times, “but all trade discussions with the Dominions would be eased if the British Government could define, however roughly, the place of agricultural industries in the economic system of Britain, and if the Dominion Governments could be equally clear about the development they desire for secondary industries. AGREEMENT PRINCIPLES MESSAGES TO AUSTRALIA Canberra, Feb. 21. It is learned that the principles for agreement between the British and Australian Governments on the subject of meat, which were disclosed by Dr, Page on Tuesday, were presented to the Australian Government in cable messages from the British Government as definitely the only alternative to drastic quantitative curtailment of meat imports to \ Britain. Dr. Page, referring to Mr. Elliot’s statement, says: “There is no reason to qualify in any way the official statement made by me on Tuesday. This statement is based on the Commonwealth’s reply to the proposals made by the British Government.”