BUTTER MARKET IN ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 98, 19 January 1935, Page 21

BUTTER MARKET IN ENGLAND

High Commissioner’s Plea IGNORANCE OF NEW ZEALAND The fact that a large amount of ignorance existed throughout Great Britain about tbe Empire, and about New Zealand in particular, was strongly commented upon by the High Commissioner, the Hon. Sir James Parr, in London recently. The occasion was tbe opening of the exhibition of New Zealand products for one month in St. Paul’s Churchyard recently. A full account of Sir James’s speech is given in “The British Trade Review.” “I think even the people of London, educated as they are in the knowledge of the Empire, can be further educated about it, and I am sure that, notwithstanding all the education of our schools, and notwithstanding all the propaganda on which New Zealand spends so many thousands of pounds, there is a gross and unpardonable ignorance of the Empire throughout Great Britain to-day,” said Sir James. “New Zealand’s great handicap and almost its enemy is ignorance of New Zealand and its products in this country. I talk to the people who go about' the Midlands in search of custom for bur goods, and I am amazed by the extraordinary questions that are put to us by the ordinary people of the Midlands, and even by the retailers of the Midlands, displaying an ignorance of the Empire which I again say is unpardonable.” During his period in New Zealand as Minister of Education, continued Sir James, it was seen to that the young people of New Zealand understood all about the Motherland and the Empire, but he was unable to say, as far as his observation and experience went, that the young people of Britain, or the British generally, appreciated the geography of the Empire or its economic importance to Great Britain. He suggested that two hours a week teaching in the schools would remove much ignorance and misunderstanding. Room for Expansion. New Zealand and all the Dominions were good customers of Great Britain, taking half of its manufactured goods. But they could do more, said Sir James, and that was why he was there to advocate closer and even closer relations as the most satisfactory trading that both parties could indulge in. There was room for expansion. By increased trade relations with Australia and New Zealand Great Britain would assist them to pay off the debt it owed them, which to date had been paid without failure, notwithstanding the fact that many farmers were on the verge of insolvency. This was an additional factor why precedence should be given to New Zealand rather than Argentine mutton.

All butter sent to England was in British ships with British crews. Butter was New Zealand’s main product, the one on which it chiefly relied. There were 14 States competing with New Zealand for the British butter market, and Sir James expressed the hope that when the time came in a year or two to revise the trade treaties with these countries New Zealand would be consulted.

“Please do not forget that the Tasman Sea exists,” sir James went on, referring to the still prevalent impression that New Zealand was part of Australia.

Referring to bis conversations, together with Mr. David Jones (chairman of the New Zealand Meat Board) and Mr. R. S. Forsyth, with Mr. Walter Elliot about the meat problem, Sir James said that matters were proceeding very nicely, and some solution might be hoped for in a long time programme which would be satisfactory to both parties.

Butter Difficulties There were great difficulties in regard to butter. Foreign Mtter had recently been selling at flvepence a pound more than New Zealand butter, and the difference could not be due to quality. Chemical analysis had revealed that in vitamin content and nutritive properties New Zealand butter had no superior. Sir James hoped that the Dairy Commission to be set up would eventually be able to give satisfactory answers to questions of this kind to the New Zealand farmer—“poor, hard-worked beggar doing his best to make both ends meet, pay his Interest and keep things going.” “I speak with some heat,” he said. “I know what they are enduring to-day.” The term “Empire” as a mark of origin covered a great deal, and the country of origin was possibly a better form of mark for goods. The speaker did not believe that, as he had been told, it, was impracticable to have lhe country of origin marked on butter There would be great difficulties in lhe way of bringing about such a change, but it was the duty of the New Zealand people and its representatives in Great Britain to see that these difficulties were overcome and that fair play was done to all Empire products. New Zealand would also like to get a preference for beef.

What all were struggling to do was to make ordered progress in the Mother Country so that both countries might help one another, going forward to s i | ' Gn gth and not to weakness, •this afternoon ou that.sacred spot where that extraordinary Popys used to buy his books, we are going to show you lamb and butter and mutton and cheese beyond compare,” concluded Sir Jamas amid applause. The Ottawa Agreement.

That the dearest article was not necessarily the best was the contention of Mr. David Jones, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Board. New Zealand was criticised a great deal because it took a long time to carry out the Ottawa Agreement, but it was the British Government that asked for a delay of tariff proposals in New Zealand. At Ottawa the British Government asked that their representatives should have the opportunity to state their case in New Zealand before the tariff went through—that was the reason for the delay, not the New Zealand people. New Zealand meat stood in a class by Itself, continued Mr. Jones, who issued a warning that “Empire” butter was not necessarily New Zealand butter. The health of a people was its greatest asset, and in New Zealand a campaign was being started on to wipe out tubercular disease, so as to produce a butter which would be absolutely pure. The sunshine and health-giving qualities of the country were being capitalised. Grading was carried out under Government or the Board of .Supervision, There was a veterinary survey in connection with evffry animal exported, and there

was no control in the world which could give the same guarantee of quality of goods, pure, health-giving food, such as New Zealand could.

“With everything you buy when you buy New Zealand produce you are helping your own workmen in Great Britain, because they are making the goods to send back to our people in New Zealand,” concluded Mr. Jones. The need for exchange stability was stressed by Mr. D. M. Mason, M.P., in a short speech. Without a sound financial foundation in the sense of a sound currency, all trade, either with the ' Dominions or a foreign country, would be cribbed and confined, he said. Sir Percy Harris, M.P., and Sir George Paish. also spoke at the gathering.