RIGHTS TO HOME MARKET

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21089, 15 July 1938, Page 9

RIGHTS TO HOME MARKET

Hints of Restrictions on Imports Oversea Meat Supplies Affected Discussion in House of Commons United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph - Copyright LONDON, July 13. New Zealand and Australia figured largely in the House of Commons agriculture debate, which was opened by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr W. S. Morrison), who said that the British Government was impressed with the Sydney conference, and agreed that there was a necessity for the orderly marketing of primary products, and welcomed the proposal that the Empire producers’ organisations should co-operate with one another, and with corresponding bodies in other countries, to establish a Commodity Council. Lord Wolmer said the Dominions had never contested the rightness of Great Britain in giving preference to the British farmer in nis own markets, and drew attention to the action of the New Zealand Government in guaranteeing the farmers’ prices, and enabling them to carry on. Every country in Europe had a guaranteed price in one form or another for the agriculturalists, and no country had treated agriculture as it had been treated in Great Britain. Mr Morrison, replying to the debate and referring to the sheep situation, said that the total imports for the first six months of the present year were more than IOO.OOOcwt less than in the corresponding period in 1937, when prices were good. Discussions had been proceeding with representatives of the Governments of New Zealand and Australia, and it was anticipated that imports from those two Dominions during the current year would not exceed 5,500,000 cwt. which was some 400,000 cwt below last year’s allocation, and about Lhe same as the imports in 1937. "We shall keep in close touch with this matter,’’ he said, "and see what we can do to prevent imports from jeopardising the situation further.’’