BRITISH AGRICULTURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1938, Page 3

BRITISH AGRICULTURE

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IMPORTS FROM DOMINIONS DISCUSSED. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. LONDON, July 13. New Zealand and Australia figure largely in the House of Commons Agriculture debate, which was opened by Mr W. S. Morrison (Minister of Agriculture) who said the Government was impressed with the Sydney Producers’ Conference and agreed as to the necessity for the orderly marketing of primary products. It welcomed the proposal that Empire producers' organisations should co-operate with one another and with corresponding bodies in other countries to establish a commodity council. Lord Wolmer said the Dominion had never denied that Britain was right in giving preference to the British farmer in his own markets. He drew attention to the action of the New Zealand Government in guaranteeing farmers a price enabling them to carry on. Every country in Europe had a guaranteed price in one form or another for agriculturalists. No other country treated agriculture as it had been treated in Britain. Mr Ralph Glyn said New Zealand policy had benefited New Zealand rather than the British farmer.

Mr Morrison, in replying, referring to the sheep situation, said the total imports for the first six months of the present year were over 100.000 cwt. less than in the corresponding period in 1937, when prices were good. Discussions had been proceeding with representatives of the Government of New Zealand and Australia and it was anticipated that imports from those two Dominions during the current year would not exceed 51 million cwt., which was some 400,000 cwt. below last year’s allocation, and about the same as the imports in 1937. “We shall keep in close touch with this matter and see what we can do to prevent imports from jeopardising the situation further,’’ the Minister stated.