PURCHASE OF N.Z. PRODUCE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16420, 14 January 1919, Page 6

PURCHASE OF N.Z. PRODUCE.

IMPERIAL GOVERNMENTS DECISION. PERIOD EXTENDED TO JUNE, 1920. (special to "thi prkss.") "WELLINGTON, January 13. At last tho Imperial Government has signified that it will tako New Zoaland frozen meat for an extended period aftor tho war. The Minister has received advice that meat will bo purchased until June 30th 1920. He has received similar advTce about butter. Tho oxporters of butter wpre anxious that tho purchase should in the meantime be for one year, but tho Imperial authorities insist that it shall bo for tho longer period. This will make all tho purchabo schemes coterminous— wool, meat, butter, and cheese, Tho decision is most important as affecting meat, because the trade was threatened with serious disorganisation if tho original scheme had been adhered to—tho termination of the requisition thrco months after tho conclusion of peaco. A\ ith tho prices of produco fixed for eighteen months ahoad, the producers should b© assured of an easy transition from war to peaco conditions of trading. Spoken to last night with reference to this message, Mr W. Murray, manager of tho N.Z. Refrigerating Cbmpany. raid that so far as his company was concerned this was a step that they hat! strongly urged should be taken for so mo time. Their reason was that there was such an accumulation of Imperial meat jn the stores that if the commandeer should cease during this season it would) be impossible to start conducting business on normal lines. It would bo far bettor to let tho position settle dowrf naturally, and it was thought that by tho end of the 1920 season this would/ happen. As matters were now in regard to the stores it would be rather a farce to institute a so-called "free market" with four million carcases of Imperial meat in the cool stores, subject to preferential treatmbnt in respect to shipping. Tho producers and tho handlers of fat stock oould not work with) any feeling of confidence ns to values, shipping, and markets under these conditions, as they would practically be< dealing with a market eighteen months ahead. Ho considered the echemo ofl extending the term of tho moat contract not only sound but essential, andi he thought that would be tho view oP the. majority of responsible men in tho business.