MEAT FOR THE ARMY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2398, 2 March 1915, Page 6

MEAT FOR THE ARMY

ARRANGEMENTS ALL READY. "I oould have commenced the operation .of the scheme to-day," said the Prime Minister yesterday, referring to the plans he has formulated for the acquisition of frozen meat by the New Zealand Government on account of the. Imperial Government to feed the Annies of the: Allies. It could not be put into operation, however, until it had been sanctioned by the Board of Trade, acting for the Home Government. The prices submitted, he explained, were based on the local-ruling prices. The extent of the Government's operations would depend on tho supply of ships available. In this regard he thought it possible-that the Home Government might assist, by making more insulated ships available for the New Zealand trade. . "The trouble at the present moment," said the Prime Minister, "is that some of the freezing companies' stores are very nearly full, and unless we can get the meat away some of the works will have to shut down. But as soon as ' the \yord comes from Home thero will bo no doubt as to the supply, available."

Mr. Massey said that up to the present there had been no serious difficulty in finding the necessary refrigerated space for New Zealand's produce. The ships on the berth for March were the Matatua, Taimti, Karamea, Otaki, Kaikoura, Ruahine, Westmeath, and Star of Australia. "If we had two more,"' he commented, "we would be 1 fairly right. "Up to tho present period I expect that, since the opening of the season, we shall have shipped no fewer than a million carcasses more than for the corresponding period of last year. That i.5 not only due to the demand at Home; the drought has made it necessary for many sheep farmers, particularly in the North Island, to get rid of their stock at the earliest possible moment." • . For April, Mr. Massey a (Wed, he had only seven ships in view, but he had no doubt there would be several others. He expected that several ships, particularly of the Shaw-Savill line, which were due to arrive in Australia, would, after discharge, come on to New Zealand. He had been assured by the Commonwealth Government that it would not -Interfere with these ships in any way, and it therefore appeared reasonable to suppose, that some cf them would be available for the carriage of our produce.