BRITAIN'S MEAT IMPORTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 7

BRITAIN'S MEAT IMPORTS

MINISTER’S STATISTICS. LONDON, May 4. In the House of Commons, Major Elliot, replying to a series of questions, said that meat imports for the quarter ended October, 1932, were: Frozen mutton and lamb, 1,519,696 cwts., the average value being 38s lOd per cwt., compared with the March quarter of 1933 of 1,807,554 cwt. of a value of 45s 4d. The increase in quantity was due to larger supplies from Australia and New Zealand which would offset by smaller shipments later in the year. The respective figures for chilled beef were 2,102,072 cwt., value 40s 3d and 2,049,397 cwts., value 42s 4d; frozen beef 915,627 cwt., value 31s 7d and 604,000 cwts., value 37s 7d. The prices of British cattle and sheep had improved proportionately. He was satisfied th a* quotas were advantageous to the F*<e,h livestock industry. Conservative Opposition. A numlg»r of Conservatives have tabled a motion opposing ratification of the Argentine agreement until meat prices had reached a level remunerative to home producers. Mr. Runciman, in reply to questions concerning tho trade agreements, said that though all of the countries enjoying most favoured nation treatment enjoy all of the tariff reductions made under the trade agreements, the Government was not prepared to continue indefinitely the most favoured treatment to countries unwilling to treat British goods reasonably.