DAIRYING PROBLEMS

Wairarapa Age, 14 March 1934, Page 5

DAIRYING PROBLEMS

Decimation of British Policy TARIFFS & QUOTAS SEPARATE ISSUES. REGULATION OF IMPORTATIONS TO BRITAIN. WELLINGTON CONFERENCE OPENS. WELLINGTON, Marell 13. Important cablegrams which have passed between the New Zealand Government and the British Government on the question of the quantitative restriction of the importation of dairy produce were read to-day at a conference called by the Government to consider ways and means of improving the position of the dairying industry. The cablegrams disclosed a definite declaration of British policy to regulate the United Kingdom market in order to increase price levels and alleviate the position of the Home producer. The New Zealand Government asked whether the adoption of practica'ly a free tariff so far as British goods were concerned would enable New Zealicd to obtain the free entry of her produce on to the British market, and the British Government replied that tariff and quota problems were quite separate, and that the British Government was already committed to a policy of regulation of importations. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Fort es) took the view that the question of a quantitative restriction of New Zealand dairy produce would not arise until the termination of the Ottawa Agreement, and that New Zealand would have to compete on the open market for the next two years. The Minister of Finance (the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates) pointed out that under the agreement signed at Ottawa either the ■United Kingdom or New Zealand had the right at any stage to raise matters set out in the Pact. Mr. Forbes read exchanges of cablegrams with the British Government, in which British Ministers mace it clear that the question was not one of trade, but a question of the position of British farmers. The cablegrams showed that, owing to the milk marketing scheme, the import regulation was no longer a matter of immediate concern at Home, but was a mattsr for the Dominions themselves. If they could come to some agreement in regard to regulation, it might be possible to hold the market for British and Dominion farmers. The New Zealand Government, Mr Forbes said, had pointed out that, unless it had the co-operation of the dal"! industry itself in this coun try, it wfca not possible for rhe Government to come to any agreement. The question of regulation is out of the way for the next two years,’' said Mr. Forbes, “that is, until the expiration of the Ottawa Agreement So far as the Ottawa Agreement is concerned, the British Qnvemment has said it will abide by that until the end of the term. (Hear, hear.) The British Government has made other arrangements to protect its own farmers.’’ DEFINITE PROPOSAL. “The last cablegram we received from the United Kingdom,’’ said Mr. Contes, “pins the situation down to this: 'Hie Ottawa Agreement will run out and then it will be for New Zealand producers to say whether, under the circumstances, they should a;.; oint a representative as a commissioner to meet United Kingdom farmers. That is a very definite proposal *hnf ia placed before New Zealand :,t the moment and it is for this meeting to »ay what action, if any, should be taken. We are here to co-operate ” said Mr. Coates. “The Government, rightly or wrongly, has said that this-' Ss a matter which clearly and definitely concerns the industry. In the remedies we apply we have to consider all forms ot the industry and everybody concerned. We have to consider the whole economic structure of the country. Great Britain,” Mr. Coates continued, “ ot a se P arate agreement with New Zealand and leave out other Dominions, .Since the first Imperial Conference that has -been the basis upon which all conferences have come to their decisions. That was the positwo at Ottawa and that is the position wi’th y a l We ? aVe a “ to deal dtm.” 1 J “ t the United Kin «‘ Mr. W. J. Polson: “Yet they are foX ed tO ” ake aa w?t” foreign countries.'’

NO SEPARATE AGREEMENT. Whole n# ake n T.. Te P u tation and the ‘■» In_V P u^ lc life upon the very ”lat e ;‘ at “’” “Il Mr. Coat£ that we cannot make a seoarate URreement with the United Kingdom policy ” M> vl , mat t ar of internal 7 31 ■ F °rbes, said Mr Coates Brili.L, T treatment so far as «nlture™ng e tho e chair niBt r n - ASri ’