Trade Treaty Hits Canada

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 297, 7 March 1928, Page 9

Trade Treaty Hits Canada

FARMERS PROTEST AT OTTAWA

Menace to Dairy Industry

A DEMAND for the immediate termination of Canada’s tA trade treaty with Australia, which incidentally affects Xew Zealand interests, has been made at Ottawa by a representative delegation of Canadian farmers.

A member of the Dominion Parliament described the treaty as “the greatest blow Canada’s dairv industry had received.”

By Cable. Press Association. — Copyright, Reed. 11.45 a.m. OTTAWA, Tuesday, AN immediate termination of the , .L Aus J t ? lian treaty was demanded by the delegation from the National f? ai 1 °. unci * of Canada which met G vvv.^ iniS^er nance » the Hon. Jas. Kobb, and other members of the Federal Cabinet. Mr. J. A. Calder (president), who was suppored by Mr. I. L. Robinson (vice-president), Mr. W. F. Stephen (secretary), and Mr. R. P. Langford, representing the Bread and Cake Makers’ Association, spoke against the treaty. On the subject of raisins, Mr. Robb promised consideration, but opinion here is that the Dairy Council request is not likely to be granted. The submission that butter Imports depress the Canadian market is not entertained by the Government statisticians, who deny that the volume of imports is such as would affect the price current in the market. They at-

tributed the fact Of the price last year being above the export figure as causln| f at ? cl£B , , to accumulate. Steps are being taken by the Mmister of Finance in the direction of securing from Australia some new concessions incidental to the treaty. Canada seeks a favourable position, particularly in respect of lumber items and box shooks. The Government thinks that Canadian material should have a preference against Sweden and the United States of America. Denouncing the treaty as it affects the dairy industry, Mr. H. J. Barber, Conservative M.P. for the Fraser Valley, in the House of Commons argued that Australia had power to amend the pact which Canada could not do. There was no guarantee that Australia would not make changes affecting paper and canned salmon. He described the treaty as the greatest blow the dairy industry of Canada had received—A. and N.Z.