NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1921, Page 6

NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.

PROTEST OVER LICENSE. * AMERICAN COMMUNICATION. Last week the Acting-Prime Minister, Sir Francis Bell, received a further communication from the United States Con-sul-General, conveying a protest from the American Government regarding the refusal of the New Zealand Government to issue a meat export license to Armour and Company, of Australasia. The communication asked for certain information. An official reply has been sent to the Consul-General indicating that in the opinion of the New Zealand Government this method of communication between Washington and Wellington is not in accord with constitutional usage. The New Zealand Government is willing to place information at the disposal of the Consul-General, but communications from the United States Government* to the Dominion authorities ought to go first to the Foreign Office in London for transmission to New Zealand through the regular channels. The United States Government, it appears, is disposed to press for reconsideration of the decision regarding Armour and Company, who at present are unable to ship some 300,000 earcases owned by them in New Zealand cold stores. The Dominion Government has refused to issue a meat export license on the ground that the company, although registered in New Zealand, is using Ameri. can capital and is, in effect, a branch of Armour and Company, of Chicago. The United States Government considers that as the company has complied with New Zealand laws it ought to be allowed reasonable trading facilities. The authorities at Washington have been very active lately in supporting American trade interests in various parts of the world.