AUSTRALIA’S STAND.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 20 July 1934, Page 1

AUSTRALIA’S STAND.

Reply to British Meat Restrictions. CANBERRA, July 19. Addressing a conference of State Ministers of Agriculture and the' Federal Meat Advisory Committee to- j day, Mr F. IT. Stewart, Minister of Trade and Commerce, gave the text of a strongly-worded recent cablegram to the British Government pointing out that, if the meat restriction proposals were persisted with, Australia would be unable to make any tariff concession on British goods in the coming Budget. The cablegram asserted that the effect of meat restrictions would be so serious to the economic life of Australia, jeopardising the stability of the primary industries, that the Government would be unable to continue the process of reducing the tariff on British goods. It was also emphasised that to restrict meat imports from Australia before the main Ottawa Agreement expired in August, 1937, would be in violation of the spirit of the agreement although technically Britain had the right to impose restrictions after June 30 of this year. Mr Stewart said that following the Commonwealth’s representations, the British Government had withdrawn for two yeaTs all restriction proposals and only minor questions now remained for settlement.

Mr Stewart’s statement was loudly applauded and the Government’s attitude was, warmly approved. The Prime Minister, Mr J. A. Lyons, accordingly, will announce a series of important reductions of the duty on British goods. The Government is taking advantage of the presence of those attending the conference to create an executive committee which will maintain continuous touch with the Department of Commerce and will be in a position to advise when prompt decisions on matters affecting the meat industry are required.