GOVERNMENT MEAT PURCHASE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2403, 8 March 1915, Page 6

GOVERNMENT MEAT PURCHASE

EXTRA MONEY FOR SKINS AND

On being informed that the published prices which the Government intended to pay for frozen meat' did not make it clear whether the growers were to get the skins and fat of their sheep in addition to the prices named, the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraser), when interviewed at Timaru, said that they certainly would do so. All the Government would buy would be the meat on the hooks, and unless the farmer sold the skins and fat to somebody else they would be his property. Of course, if a grower sold his sheep on their feet he would have no more to do with them, but if he sent them in to the works to be sold by the pound he would have the skins aiid fat to dispose of separately. 'It would thus' be seen that growers were going to get excellent prices for their, sheep. Auction sales would go on at at present, and so could private sales, the only difference being that growers would know how much the meat companies were going to pet for_ the meat on the hooks,, and buying prices would be limited accordingly. The Minister added that in taking all the export meat the Imperial Government would solve the shortage of freight problem, as they would send boats to take it away. The Government had been blamed for the shortage of insulated ships, but who. he asked, could foresee that ships would be wanted to carry away a million more sheep than were sent .way up to this time last year? The fact was that the freezing companies would require to provide additional storage accommodation for the future.