MEAT PROBLEM

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 99, 3 May 1935, Page 6

MEAT PROBLEM

IMPORTS INTO BRITAIN “DETAILS THE TROUBLE” By Telegraph—Copyright Press As. LONDON, May 2. “The Times” lengthily reviews the meat question and observes that extension of the subsidy would not be well received by taxpayers and concludes that some combination between the levy system and restriction is inevitable. “The levy system should be confined to beef exports,’ says The Times ” “It was generally supposed that very substantial preference would be offered Dominion supplies, The only othei’ requirement would be that the total proceeds should not amount to so much less than the present subsidy of £6,000,000 a year and that the. British taxpayer would still have to find a large sum. This means a levy based on a definite allocation to meat-producing countries. An allocation which should not exclude the supply of chilled beef could only take the form of imports equal in volume to last year's with provision for a small percentage of increase over a subsequent period of years. “If the reduction of foreign supplies were rather greater that the increase in Dominion supplies there would be the required margin for the

expansion of British production. The danger of exporters exceeding the allocation would be met by charging all excess imports with a levy so much higher than the normal rate as to be prohibitive.

“This is the broad outline of the scheme which must have occuiied to the present negotiators. No doubt the filling in of definite figures offers plenty of ground for argument but, given goodwill, there need be no failure to reach agreement.” _