PRODUCE DUMPING

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1933, Page 5

PRODUCE DUMPING

BRITAIN OPPOSED

N.Z. BUTTER FETCHES 7d LB.

(Per Press Association—Copyright).

LONDON, December 13

The “Daily Telegraph’’ says that the British Minister of' Agriculture, Major Elliot, is consulting tile Dominion Governments “regarding the dumping of Dominion products, this being a breach of the Ottawa agreements, of which the British agriculturists are complaining.” Major Elliot revealed th e fact that these negotiations are afoot to a private meeting of. the Conservative party’s agriculture committee in the House of Commons to-night. British meat and milk producers particularly are affected.

It wa s stated at the meeting that New Zealand butter i« now selling in Britain at seven pence per pound, while the price in New Zealand was stated to be 1/3 per pound. Major Elliot admitted that the wholesale price of beef was still far below remunerative levels, but said he hoped, sliortly j to arrive at new Voluntary arrangements which will ease the position. The meeting appointed! a committee to report on the meat imports into Britain.

BUTTER RESTRICTION SCHEME.

MISAPPREHENSION CAUSED.

WELLINGTON, December 13.

The Australian cablegram suggesting that the Australian Dairy Board was willing to restrict butter shipments to the extent of 20 per cent., provided the New Zealand Board were prepared to do likewise, has caused misapprehension in iso me districts, where it is felt that the quota principle of restriction of shipments has been adopted.

This is not the case. It ha s been made clear at the recent meeting, addressed by Mr lorns, chairman of. the Dairy Board, that all. the Australian Board asked for was that- 20 per cent, of this season’s manufacture of butter should be withheld from shipment for a few months, so that the arrivals m England would be spread move evenly over the twelve months.

The reason for the suggested regulations is that the bulk of the manufacture of butter in both Australia and New Zealand i§ during a relatively few months of the year, and that the imas jL. is manufactured, causes a glut on the English market. By spreading the arrivals as pvenly as possible wviev twelve months, improved prices should result.

MR D. JONES IS OPTIMISTIC,

OUTLOOK FOR THE N.Z. FARMER

INVERCARGILL, December 13.

A note of optimism regarding the meat trade was struck by Mr D. Jones, chairman of the Meat Board, in an address at the official luncheon at the Southland glimmer Show today. Speaking of the'Ottawa Agreement, he said the average New Zealand farmer did not realise the enormous effect of the reduction imposed on imports into Britain from the Argentine,

It meant that Argentine would this year send 200,000 fewer lambs and 600,000 quarters of beef less. Had the Ottawa Agreement not been brought into effect, the meat trade of the world would have been demoralised. Referring to the trend of the Home market, he said that nine million lambs sent by New Zealand to England last year had been consumed in eleven months.

Statistically the lamb trade now looked bright, and he considered that demand would equal production. The British buyer was in a better position and the effects of returning confidence were evident.