DAIRY IMPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1933, Page 5

DAIRY IMPORT

RESTRICTION ON N.Z.

WILL IT MEAN LOANS DEFAULT.

(United Press Association—l3y Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

LONDON, February 21

The “Daily Aiaii’s” city editor says: “The restriction of New Zealand's dairy imports into Britain is highly inadvisable. The holders oi iNcw Zealand Joans are watching these negotiations with some concern. AiustraJians and New Zealanders will need ail tiie possible assistance they can get to enable them to send maximum exports.” In a leading -article, tho “Daily Mail” praises what it term? the magnificent courage with which New Zealand laced the slump. Jt says New Zealand is now pulling through, but if the Dominion’s access to Britain for tho export?, is limited, adds the paper, it may be driven to default on its loans, amounting to £160,000,000.

If a limitation of the dairy imports is necessary, Britain must act. in. the Ottawa spirit, restrict' foreigners, and not the- Dominions. For instance, it says, Argentina has sold to Britain one hundred and sixty mllion pounds worth of goods in three years, but she took only fifty million pounds worth of British goods.

There also should be no hesitation in proposing higher duties on any Irish Free State goods competing with New Zealand exports, giving the loyal Dominion fair play.

DENMARK SHOULD BE CHECKED

DELIBERATIONS IN ENGLAND,

LONDON, Febiuary 20.

It is undertsood that the dairy conference reached no decisions. Further meetings will be arranged between Dominion representatives anil British, in an effort 'to agree to voluntary restrictions of butter. There as a general realisation that action is imperative. Tt is reported that the Australian and New Zealand representatives today advocated increased duties against the Danish, who are flooding the northern market.

Britain declined to do this, saving that the Ottawa duties are the limit of protection of the Dominions. Increases would embarrass the trade treaty negotiations with Denmark. Anonrently everybody agrees that if markets continue to he flooded, prices will fall chaotically. They also agree that the only alternative thereto is to decide the extent. The distributing agents to-morrow will confer with Dominion representatives. Mr Bruce and Sir T. AI. AVilford are still in close touch with the Dominion Office in connection ■ with the butter discussions, which Sir T. M. AVilford considers to be so important that he is not’attending the League Assembly on Manchuria.

Sir T. M, AVilford to-night lengthily cabled the Government. Interviewed by the Press Association, he said he can reveal nothing thereof, but suggests one scheme whereby consumption cain he increased in England, namely, in restaurants, which now charge customers at least one penny for each pat of butter. “I weighed one from a AA 7 est End restaurant, and found it would require fifty-six to make a pound, therefore, for butter, restaurants get 4s 8d a pound, whereas New Zealand butter is solej in shops at as low as tenpenee. If the restaurants gave a little more for the penny, consumption would increase considerably.”