GREATER PRODUCTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26641, 11 December 1947, Page 7

GREATER PRODUCTION

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND VISIT BY BRITISH MISSiON N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 9. The British Minister of Food, Mr John Strachey, said to-day that general discussions between the British Food * Mission and the Australian authorities would begin in Canberra in the second half of January. Sir Henry Turner, Controller of the Meat and Livestock Division of the Ministry of Food, and Mr J. W. Rodden, Director of the Dairy Products Division, will be members of the mission. They will confer with the Commonwealth and State Governments, and later with the New Zealand Government, the Meat Producers’ Board, and the Dairy Commission. Mr L. A. Plummer, chairman designate of the newly-constituted Overseas Food Corporation, wjho is another member of the mission, may also visit New Zealand to discuss development possibilities. Sir Henry Turner and Mr Rodden, both of whom are New Zealanders, are at present uncertain how much time they will be able to spend in the Dominion, or exactly at what juncture their visit can be fitted into their Australian tour, Mr Strachey at a press conference made it plain that, although New Zealand had no extensive areas of undeveloped land, as was the case in parts of Australia, the Minstry of Food was still vitally interested in discussing any possible means of increasing New Zealand primary production. Asked whether the Overseas Food Corporation would be interested in developing the production of coconut oil and other products in the mandated territory of Samoa on the same lines as is now contemplated in New Guinea, Mr Strachey said the New Zealand Government had not suggested’ this should be examined, but that the Food Corporation would be most interested if any such suggestion was made. Sources; of Meal Supply » During the course of the conference Sir Henry Turner, who described himself as “Britain’s chief butcher.” said that Britain was faced to-day by an entirely different situation from that existing before the war. Some of her old sources of meat supply were not likely to return to the pre-war export figures, with the result that less quantities of meat were available and were 1 likely to be available for some time to come. In addition, although home production of meat was now recovering after a disastrous winter and difficult autumn, it was recovering at a disappointingly slow rate. To-day the domestic production of meat in Britain was down to 700.000 tons a year, compared with 1,100,000 tons before the war. Under these conditions it was extremely important that the great possibilities for increasing production which existed in Australia and elsewhere should be carefully examined. Increased Butter Prices - Asked whether the 30s a cwt increase in the price of New Zealand butter announced under the new contract agreement would mean an increase, in the retail price of butter in Britain, or whether the increase would be absorbed by an increased Government subsidy, Mr Strachey said it was too early yet to give a definite answer. “There is no doubt, however,” he said, “ that any increases in the overseas price of food must tend to raise prices at home, particularly since it has now been decided that further increases in subsidies cannot be granted.” Mr Strachey strongly denied an assertion made by the Daily Express thh morning that the Government might refrain from buying food because it appeared that this would increase the cost of subsidies. “We need every pound of food we can get,” he said. He emphasised that Britain would be very ready to conclude longterm agreements to purchase increased food production, and that the Government was anxious that these agreements should protect farmers against damaging fluctuation of prices. There was no reason, he said, why the Ministry’s efforts to obtain’extra food from Australia and New Zealand should alarm the Argentine, for Britain needed all the extra food any of her suppliers could sell her. In the case of the Argentine, payment might present difficulties, but this was a matter for negotiation. In the case of Australia and New Zealand. British manufacturers must study their requirements of consumer goods, for any increase in trade arising from food negotiations must operate both ways.