NEGOTIATIONS REACH ACUTE STAGE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8495, 29 July 1933, Page 3

NEGOTIATIONS REACH ACUTE STAGE

ATTITUDE OF DOMINIONS PLIGHT OF BRITISH FARMERS Australian and N V. naiiie, LONDON, July 27. While Dominion circles scout the suggestion that a crisis is developing over the Ottawa negotiations, it is believed that a difficult stage has been reached, particularly over the British requests for the curtailment of Dominion exports of dairy products and meat. Major Elliot, the British Minister of Agriculture, realises that British agriculture was badly represented at the Ottawa Conference, and is belatedly trying to obtain a better deal. He is being assisted by Mr J. H. Thomas (Secretary of State for the Dominions), who is maintaining that the Dominions are not implementing Ottawa by reducing tariffs, and that they should be more ready to make concessions in the interests of British agriculture. The Dominions are now producing ; the latest figures to prove that hte ■ imports of British manufactures have ' increased since the Ottawa gathering, i It is understood that Major Elliot 1 is worrying less over the increase of i butter exports than cheese, which is i the chief means British farmer? possess for disposing of their surplus i milk. The demand for the restric- 1 tion of cheese exports affects Austra- i lia far less than New Zealand, which i is strongly contesting the proposal 1 owing to the disastrous effects on pro- c ducers in the Dominions. i

The delegations are hoping for finality before the British Ministers begin to disperse for their holidays.