IMPORTED EGGS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 41, 12 November 1918, Page 8

IMPORTED EGGS

BOARD OF TRADE REPORT ON ASIATIC ARTICLE ■'

A- COMPREHENSIVE INQUIRY /.

One of several matters inquired into by the- Board of Trade some time ago was thttt relating to the question of the importation of Asiatic eggs, and the subject is dealt with in the second annual report of- the board, which was presented to Parliament on Friday. Inquiries were made by the board in the tour main centres, and thirty-nine witnesses were examined. The suggested restriction on the importation of Asiatic eggs appeared to the board to bo a matter of very considerable importance, first from its bearing on the poultry industry ot New Zealand, and, secondly, from the possibility of the local supplies being msuflieieiit'fof New Zealand's requirements if this source of simply were cut oft. The inquiry, therefdre, was of a comprehensive character. Of the thirty-niim witnesses examined, eighteen represented the egg-producers, two. the management of egg circles, two the importers, and seventeen the bakers and pastrycooks. A full report was made on February 18 last, in which it was shown that the main points in favour of prohibiting the importation of eggs as set out by tne producers ami the ■ managers of the egg circles were-(l) The cheap selling price of the imported article; (2) the effect that this cheap price has on the production of eggs in New Zealand; (3) the suggested danger to health by tho importation of Asiatic eggs and' pulp. -. • Effect of Prohibition, Etc. . The bakers and pastrycooks were unanimous in asserting that without the importation of desiccated eggs and pulp the egg circles and producers in Nov; "-iland were totally unable to supply the demand in (lie winter at .any price whatever. Taking the first two objections ot tho producers, the board found that the price paid for the imported article was equal to about lsl Id. per, dozen, or a little higher, and that it was seldom, if ever, purchased or used by tho bakers and pastrycooks at any time other than in the winter months, when eggs were always selling at 2s. and over per dozen in New Zealand, and that, therefore, as there was a full demand in (ho winter for eggs produced in New Zealand at a very remunerative price, the importation of eggs for baking purposes had no effect on the poultry industry during the. winter.

It was admitted by the poultrymen that in the early summer months, when eggs were sold in large quantities at from .10d! to Is. 3d. per dozen, the competition against the egg circles came not from importation, but from farmers and others who kept fowls as a side line; and it was stated by one of the producers -that of the whole of the eggs used in 'New Zealand 80 per cent, was tho product of the ordinary barn-door fowl. It was "suggested by the board' that the pouitrymeu might combine and preserve eggs in the summer time, when they we're cheap, and that the bakers and pastrycooks could draw their supplies from this reserve in the winter. The bakers pointed out that many thousands of dozens were so preserved by themselves, and it was only when these supplies were exhausted that they required to look for supplies elsewhere. ■In -each and every centre the bakers were willing to accept and work under a guarantee from the pnultryinen that eggs-would be available at'ls. Od. per dozen in the winter months in the requisite quantities, and in the, event of such guarantee being forthcou'.ing they would refrain from using the imported article. The board's suggestion, however, met with no response from the producers,, who' declined to guarantee any supplies whatever in the event of the importation of foreign eggs being prohibited. ' Restrictions Not Recommended. Regarding the third question raised by the producers, as to the danger of health by the use of Asiatic the board -found, on the. evidence submitted, that there' was not likely to be any danger to health by-the use .ot'-Asiatic eggs by the bakers. The board found that the bakers, in every case, were reasonable in the attitude iliey took up, and were in t no way anxious to use the imported ar-' tide : "n preference to the New Zealand article, their k:\f, howevar, being that , supplies in the winter time would be quite unobtainable if importation were prohibited. One witness gave evidence that in his business alone, he' was over 10,000 dozen eggs short of his requirements in the winter of 1917 even after, ■using what imported eggs he Was able to procure. The pastrycooks pointed out that if tho -importation of Asiatic eggs were prohibited it would have a direct bearing on the price of cakes and pastry, the selling-price of which would have to be very considerably increased. Taking, therefore, into account the lack ,of local supplies of eggs in the winter months, and the likelihood of an increase in the price of locally-produced eggs, cakes, and pastry if Asiatic eggs were not available, the board recommendel that no action ;be taken by the Government to restrict the importation of Asiatic and other foreign eggs.