DUMP FOR TINNED MEAT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 884, 30 January 1930, Page 1

DUMP FOR TINNED MEAT

AUSTRALIAN RESENTS DOMINION TRADE EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY United P. A. —By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 10.45 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. “New Zealand lias used Australia as a dumping ground for her surplus sheeps’ tongues for years,” declared Mr. Reginald Nossiter of the Colonial Wholesale Meat Company, Limited, giving evidence before the Tariff Board, which is inquiring into the new duties on preserved meats and meat extracts in Sydney. Mr. Nossiter said New Zealand had a large export trade in frozen mutton and lamb, and her by-products were sold wherever a market could be found, regardless of the cost. She was resorting to undercutting here in order to secure sales; thus twopence a pound duty was insufficient: to protect the Australian packers. Witness added there were approximately 10,000 cases of sheeps’ tongues on hand at a period when there should be none. Prices for sheep accordingly had to be reduced in order to meet the fierce New Zealand competition, and pastoralists had to suffer. American and New Zealand competition in preserved meats was also felt in Australia. Mr. Nossiter advocated a duty of sixpence a pound. It was a fact, he said, that New Zealand was selling corned beef in Sydney below what it could profitably be sold for by the local producer. The chairman of the Tariff Board reminded the witness of the reciprocal arrangement already operative with New Zealand in regard to certain products, and of the danger of cancelling preference to New Zealand, where it had proved advantageous to the Dominion. He' pointed out that this could have only one result. Witness answered that he had not considered that point of view. The inquiry was adjourned.