EXPORTS OF MEAT.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19460, 27 December 1934, Page 8

EXPORTS OF MEAT.

THE PROPOSED RESTRICTION.

ATTITUDE OF AUSTRALIA,

STRONG 'OBJECTION VOICED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

BLENHEIM, Thursday

Lieutenant-Colonel M. F. Bruxner, Deputy-Premier of 'New South Wales, Invited, by an interviewer to comment upon Australia's attitude towards the meat quota on exports to Great Britain, expressed the strongest opposition to quantitative restrictions, and •indicated that Australia was opposing the principle on strong practical grounds. “For years we have heen handicapped in our competition with the Argentine in that we have to send Ifrozen meat, .while 'they can land 'Chilled meat in England at a cheaper cost,” he explained. “Britain has always stated that the reason the. Argentine got the 'trade was 'because 'Chilled meat was -better Ilian frozenWe then set to work and. have battled, fought, and experimented until we have found that we can put chilled meat on -the .London market. We have millions of acres of cattle'country to develop, and if we cannot export we are 'going to :be set hack in our normal advancement.”

Lieutenant-Colonel Bruxner said th'at so far Australia could not export very large quantities of chilled meat, •owing ho lack of equipment, tout the trade was capable -of steady expansion, and all the country wanted was the opportunity; to produce and take her chance on the 'hoihe market, unrestricted. except toy Ifai-r 'competition. Australia had loans to repay in Britain, and did not want to default, but the only way to pay was in kind. After all, the Argentine had fewer claims on Britain’s consideration than Australia and New Zealand, which had given their sons by the thousand in the Great War. The altitude of the Commonwealth was that the right of unrestricted 'trade on the 'home market was worth fighting for, and he believed it \\|ould be worth while to hang on an'd decline io accept the quota.