The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1935 WHO GOES HOME?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20067, 26 March 1935, Page 6

The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1935 WHO GOES HOME?

Every day brings fresh emphasis to the view that the producing Dominions ought to maintain the closest vigilance in relation to meat supplies for Britain. The Acting Prime Minister of Australia, in the course of a speech delivered yesterday at an important agricultural gathering in New South Wales, hinted that with the expiration of the Ottawa agreement in November next, Australia would face the restriction of butter exports under a scheme of quantitive regulation of supplies from all countries. Every effort would be made, said Dr. Earle Page, to resist restriction, but if unsuccessful, other outlets would have to be found for the surplus. Alternatively, they must advise farmers to cease to advance, which would be a most undesirable thing. These points ought to be noted by all producers. Reports from London hint, however, that the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr J. A. Lyons) has displayed special interest in the Smithfteld market annual report, in which the superintendent calculates that for the population of 8,000,000 served by the market, the weekly consumption a head (in ounces) of beef, mutton, and lamb and pork, is: Mutton and Beef. Lambs. Fork. British and Irish 3.2 2.7 2.6 Dominions .. .. 3.3 7.7 0.8 Foreign 16.5 1.5 0.7 It is interesting to note that the report shows that 16,593 tons more of Home and Dominion meat was received in 1934 than in 1933. The report states that the general effect of quotas has been steadying. Mr Lyons is specially interested in the foreign beef imports, which cost nearly five times more than those from the Dominions. He regards the figures as valuable for the forthcoming discussions. It is also announced that the Imperial Government has intimated its desire that a full survey of the forthcoming meat discussions should be regularly available to the other Dominions as well as to Australia. Although the negotiations are primarily between Great Britain and Australia, any agreement must be in the spirit of the Ottawa agreements. As the other Dominions are vitally concerned in the meat discussions, reports from London suggest that it is impossible to conclude an agreement with Australia without the co-operation of the Dominions. At the moment the Imperial Government is faced with the presence in London of a very formidable Australian delegation which has journeyed to the Old Land to place Australia’s claims before the British authorities in relation to meat supplies and the discussion on levies and quotas. It is not a matter for surprise that strong representations are being addressed to the New Zealand Government in support of the request that the Dominion delegation should be substantially strengthened because of the vital nature of the problems awaiting solution in the Homeland. Hence the timeliness of the attitude of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board in endorsing the following resolution, after a discussion of the coming long-term negotiations in London relating to meat imports:

“That this board is very strongly of opinion that the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Prime Minister, and the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, should represent New Zealand in the forthcoming long-term discussions with the British Government in London. The board is very concerned as to the great importance and far-reaching possibilities of the coming discussions. “It is firmly of opinion that Mr Coates with his experience of the Ottawa discussions, would greatly strengthen the delegation, and the board considers it of the utmost importance to ensure that this Dominion should send the strongest possible delegation to London.”

Having been forewarned by threats, first of drastic restrictions by the imposition of quotas, and subsequently faced with the possibility of a levy collectable through the customs, Australia has been forearmed by selecting the strongest possible delegation to which has been entrusted with negotiations the outcome of which will have such far-reaching consequences if the case for the Dominions is not powerfully presented. It is because of the importance and far-reaching possibilities of the coming discussions, that the presence in London when the big issues come up for decision of Mr Coates, whose knowledge of the problem is thorough and unique, ought to be insisted upon by all sections of the producing interests.