MEAT PROBLEM

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 189, 19 August 1935, Page 5

MEAT PROBLEM

Results of Negotiations

TRIBUTE TO HON. J. G. COATES

I’AID BY THE PRIME MINISTER

(Per Press Association. 5 WELLINGTON, This Day

“New Zealand has every reason to feel satisfied with the result of the meat negotiations which took place in England,’’ said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, on his arrival in Wellington this morning.

“l am satisfied that we received every consideration from the United Kingdom’s Ministers during the discussions, and that they were perfectly fair in all dealings with us, and also endeavoured to meet the position a.s far as practicable having regard to their obligations under treaties with other countries, and the interests of their own farmers. lam convinced that they were anxious to do everything possible to facilitate a mutually satisfactory conclusion to the negotiations and that they would have liked to have gone further in this direction but for the existence of those treaties. "I confidently believe, as the result of the impressions T gained when in England of very strong feeling of friendship towards the Dominions that exists there, that we have nothing to fear as to the treatment we will receive from the United Kingdom Government when the (present treaties and

agreements expire.” The Prime Minister paid in. tribute to the Pt. Hon. J. G. Contes for the satisfactory manner in which the negotiations had been concluded, and stated that from his knowledge of the position it was no easy task Mr Coates had to perform. He also referred to the assistance given during the negotiations by Messrs T. A. Duncan and J. Fraser, chairman and general manager, rePpectively. of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. The fact that the hoard’s representatives had concurred in arrangements should give weight to the claim that New Zealand had cause for satisfaction with what had been achieved. Mr Forbes also expressed the view that the primary producers no doubt would feel greatly relieved that the fears of severely curtailed imports of meat into the United Kingdom, and the possibility of a levy on mutton, lamb and beef have been swept away bv the arrangements which have been made. Tt should give heart to the farming community, whose prospects of getting out, of their difficulties were at one time so much overshadowed hv what might happen to their main market.