SHEEPMEN CONFER

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1932, Page 6

SHEEPMEN CONFER

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

(Per Press Association— Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, June 29.

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Sheep Owners and Farmers Federation, being held to-day, the president, Mr Aeland, in an address expressed gratification at the great and beneficial reforms made by cue present Government in the industrial and arbitration laws. For the first time for a. generation employer,j would be able to meet the workers unions on equal terms in conference, with a view to settling terms qf employment. He sincerely trusted that both parties would avail themselves of the privilege and recognise the necessity of mutual agreements being made on lines which would enable the. industry to be carried ,on without undue hardship to any section of the community, and with the prospect of re-nbsorption into the industry of the whole of the available labour on a. basis that would admit of our trade and industry being continued on sound economic- li”e-s.

Sneaking in regard to -Ottawa, he said a,n endeavour was afoot to obtain either preferential duties or a quota for Npw Zealand produce. The- principle of a quota in any form was, lie believed, a dangerous one, as it involved restrictions on -trade and asked Great Britain to adopt the principle of limiting the amount of overseas goods she would admit. Once that was applied to foreign produce, 'it was only a step to apply it to Dominion meat and butter. He could not see Great Britain could, or would, apply the quota to Arge"t : ne. He drew a distinction between a political and an economic Emp : re and saw! there was no doubt the economic Empire governed He whole.