MEAT QUOTAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1939, Page 6

MEAT QUOTAS

IMPOSED BV BRITAIN DOMINIONS’ MUTTON AND LAMB CUT THREE PER CENT. TEN PER CENT REDUCTION OF FOREIGN SUPPLIES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON. February 16. In the House of Commons, Mr Oliver Stanley, President of the Board of Trade, announced “in order to safeguard the stability of markets, imports of frozen mutton and iamb from Australia and New Zealand will be three per cent below last year’s imports. Imports from foreign countries will be ten per cent less than the present quotas. Mr Stanley added that the decision resulted from the failure of the Empire Meat Council to agree to the current year’s restriction of imports necessitated by the very low prices last year for home produced meat. Increased home production had not been accompanied by a fall in imports. A further increase in home produced mutton and lamb was expected during the current year; yet cold storage stocks were abnormally high. Mr Stanley said the Government had advised Australia and New Zealand as to the extent of the restriction, which might necessitate alterations in shipping space already booked. The Meat Council was continuing to function and would watch the effect of the restriction on the market.