Organising Eggs
'1'1►e report of the Eggs and Poultry Reorganisation Commission for Great Britain, published on Tuesday, is mainly concerned with the fiscal arrangements affecting the industry. Under the Ottawa Agreements the former 10 per cent. ad valorem duties were replaced by specific duties ranging from ls. to ls. 9d. per 120 eggs, and the Commission consider that as the existing rates arc unlikely to reduce imports below the current level, there should be an increase of 6d. per 120 on foreign eggs, and a duty of 6d. per 120 on Empire imports. This maintains the margin of Empire preference, but it introduces a new departure in the taxing of Empire products—and marks a move towards more tariffs rather than less. It is pro- posed that 25 per cent. of the yield from the duties should be earmarked for the assistance of the home industry, particularly to cover the initial expenses of marketing schemes. The producers will now have to decide whether they will adopt the marketing schemes in conjunction with the recommendations of this report. We are in danger of becoming over-regulated by these schemes, and whether eggs need to suffer regulation in the producers' interest, and possibly at the consumers' cost, is debatable. If they do, this is no doubt a workable scheme.
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