EMPIRE MEAT TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1932, Page 5

EMPIRE MEAT TRADE

A QUOTA OR NOT ? CANADA'S SEPARATE STAND. .) ■ . /' ■ ; ; ;'■■/■ : : (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) OTTAWA, August 9. The question of the restriction of Britain’s .foreign, meat imports is the immediate' paramount - problem. Although ity has officially' been announced that the British negotiations. between Australia andi Zealand are .“nearly finished/ 1 ' this-: vital 11 '- matter has not been decided.. ■ -VInvolving, as it does, proximity to the danger zone of food taxes, which might easily split the British Cabinet the British-'; delegation i at; Ottawa are giving the-. Dominions’ firm request for the quota system, the most serious consideration,; It ' ivas an., earlier view that Britain could' not contemplate the quota. /That view has - been considerably modified since the delegates’ arrival at Ottawa, Australia and New Kealftnd -ate hdckittg their expressed view that, a quantitive restriction of Afghrititte chilled beef imported to Britain is- a;iiitatter- of the first iihgortaboe- to the: DOmixiiohsl primary - producers, Att#ir*liw .ahd -New Zealand have now temporarily lost Canada’a backing, ieaing that -the Canadian Cabinet Are threshing out their;-' own position, and aw faced with the necessity of making Britain greater / - concessions, which, -probably will cause some misgivings among the Canadian manufacturing interests. But it" is - regarded as certain.'that Mt Bennett will heal any differences among his colleagues quickly, andj. wflf present ?-a compromise plan. / , ’’ t 'air Bruce and. Mr Coates maintain a strong front that the quota system •is essential, they holding that preferences alone are not effective. They are even prepared to drop the idea of tariff preferences by Britain if an adequate quota *is granted. t

There have been the frankest discussions -of the position over the past twenty-four hours." The Britishers are obviously impressed. They are deliberating as to whether it would be possible to accede’to this main Dominion request /without giving the impression to the British housewife that she will Be compelled to pay more for meat without seeming to introduce the rationing of : chilled/beef, and thus: recalling the'; war-time, restrictions, and also without harming the enormous British interests that there are in the Argentine,' '' V . ./• - • ‘ Tha latest figures showing the preferences ■ giv&rirtd' 1 Britain have -an ‘ important bearing -oil discussion. •It As shown that the Argentine bus Hot offered Britain Anything like Such favourable Awni* its Atatra-ii-a and New Zealand have given, Meanwhile the Af)?entine 1* doing a huge trade with'the :;United States, /;/•,'/

It is expected that a meat decision will be reached at any moment. .

ANGLO-CANADIAN IMPASSE. - ''' •V ' >' b’" 11 ”\, HARD BART&XNING THE ORDER. OTTAWA- August 9. An official spokesman Announced to-day that' Mr Baldwin sent a letter setting out the British views on the Canadian offer which was being considered by a Canadian Cabinet subcommittee, consisting of Messrs Bennett, Stevens, Rhode®, (Ryckman and ICahan. • ’ .

The spokesmen emphasised there ■were no differences or quarrelling between British ■ and Canadians, but there are radical differences of opinion regarding what-' Canada’s offer , means to Britain in increased trade. He added: . “So marked is the difference that it is wondered from what angle the two groups of statisticians' '-and': experts’ arc working. The Cabinet sub-committee is reconsidering the figures,," The spokesman proceeded, it should be remembered’ that it is much more, difficult for Britain and Canada to reach a detailed agreement than Britain and Australia, or Britain and New Zealand. New Zealand is -aimo-st nonindustriaiised, Canada is highly deve). oped industrially; Australia occupied ,a middle position between these two. The correct assumption is that the Canadian and British negotiations are not so far advanced as some of the other Dominions. There is no sign or hint at the breaking up of the Conference. Thema are certain complicated delicate questions which nre not likely to be cleared up at . this Conference. .They will require detailed and prolonged expert ‘examination. , . Questioned concerning the AngloCanadian impasse, the spokesman said that Canadian experts adhered to the correctness 1 of ;their figure's. The Britishers’ reply to tho Canadian proposals was couched in the friendliest terms, and was merely the first stage in bargaining. ■ There is a considerable gap in the respective estimates of the additional trading -that* would result from Canada’s proposals. CDt is like two -schoolboys adding a column of figure® iand differing ( in the Tesult. Britain suggests that (further concessions lr.re imperative, including structural steel for building purposes, various lines of cottonfe. particular •} the cheaper materials, is'so worsteds, chemicals, leather. and glassware. Experts" on both sides are reviewing figures with a view to arriving at the same tally. Questioned closely regarding the matters likely to be postponed, the spokesman (indicated that such questions :ip working out an '■Empire stan-

dard, and also an 'Empire content. The currency sub-committee met this morning and completed the report, which wi“ be presented to the Full Currency Committee to-morrow. The spokesman said that the - report was (long and interesting, and may be. published. NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRITAIN. PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) OTTAWA, August 10. It is officially announced that, as a result of the Canadian Cabinet’S review of reciprocal proposals, to-day’s negotiations with the British experts are progressing’ satisfactorily. There is a real desire on the part of both sides to bring about something definite, and it is . confidently anticipated that the wide gap will be bridged and an agreement achieved with the minimum delay. „ . It is -suggested that serious discr'pancies between the British and Canadian figure were due to the fact that the statistician® were worked out on different years. It wa® pointed out, as an example, that Canada’s 1931 imports were five hundred million dollars compared with the 1930 imports of eight hundred million*}, A spokesman stated; “There is no -split, nor the .'hint of a split, or threatened resignations from the Canadian Cabinet. Everything is proceeding harmoniously.’’ The Minister deprecated the published report that it is a one-man Cabinet, and that Mr Bennett would eventually over-ride any rebellious colleagues. Em. phasis on the denial rather reveals the true position but ‘it is expected that Canada’s difficulties will resolve themselves speedily and then Canada will be lined with the other Dominions whoso •negotiations with Britain are reaching final stages.