FROZEN MEAT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16412, 4 January 1919, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

Speaking to a representative of "The Press"' yesterday, tho manager of one of tho largest refrigerating companies in Ohristchurch said that ho was of the opinion that it would be very much safer and generally more advantageous to all concerned if the Imperial Government continued its commandeer of the Dominion's meat until the end of next season at least. A largo section of the farmers and producers of tho Dominion had already expressed their opinion that it would bo advisable to extend tho meat contract with the Imperial Government to the saniD period as the wool contract, which will include tho 1919-19-0 clip, and in this ho was entirelv with them. At the present timo, he said, tho cool stores of Now Zealand wero full of meat, which all belonged to the Imperial Government, and judgiug by the outlook tor shipping it appeared that the position in a nutshell was that a year's supply of ships would havo to endeavour to away a two years' production of meat. With the world's markets in tho upset oondition thov were, an extremely complicated and'almost hopeless condition, eommerciiuly spoaking, would arise if the market was now declared free and open, and it would bo exceedingly difficult for private operators to do business at all on anything like a sound basis—any business done would be of an almost purely speculative nature. If, however, tho linjiorial Crovernment continued to buy all tho Dominion's meat until the end of tho 1920 season, that is to say until June or «July, 10:20, there would bo a very much hotter chance of markets regainingnormality, and then business could be done upon a reasonably oertain basis, wlii''li would obviously bo very much more satisfactory both for tho producors and business men. He was awaro of the fact that thero was an agitation amongst a certain section of farmers, more particularly in tho North Island, for a froe market, but he would not like to see it yet, as the position of private owners of meat with large quantiS ij m P er i a l meat waiting, shipment would not be a very happy one.