THE MEAT BUSINESS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2437, 16 April 1915, Page 8

THE MEAT BUSINESS

SHIPPING, THE MAIN TROUBLE,

A brief statement regarding tho shipment. of meat from New Zealand ■vnjs made by the Prime Minister (tiio flight Hon. \V. I''. Massey) to a reporter yesterday. There was in Canterbury, lie said, considerable friction owing to the feeling on the part of producers that the exporters woro taking advantage of the fact that, oil account of tho drought, the farmers were not able to hold their stock, and in consequence had to accept prices which they would otherwise not have considered. "I am afraid that there were grounds for this feeling," said Mr. Massey. "However, I arranged for a meeting of ropiesentatives of the producers 011 the one side and exporters and managers of freezing companies 011 the other. The meeting wa.s held at Christchurch, and as tlio result a representative committee v.-as appointed to fix the price of the produce from month to month. &:r Geqi;;e Clifford agreed to accept the position of chairman, and I believo that a satisfactory arrangement has resulted."

"The feeling is also more satisfactory." said Mr. Massey, "on account of the fact that from the end of May there will be sent out from New Zealand a number of sliips which will gradually reduco tho congestion" in tho freezing stores. For the last two months wo have done little to relieve the pressure on the freezing stores, and at tho present moment the quantity m store is sufficient to enable us to fill seventeen insulated'ships straightaway. On March 27 there were 1,741,067 carcasses in store.' That number has not been decreased. _ The position will not be materially improved during May, but, as far as I can judge, a considerable improvement will take place in June.

"I am in communication with the Board of Trade oil the subject overy day," added Mr. Massey. "Everything possible is being done to get our meat away, and so to relieve tho pressure that exists in the various freezing works. Up to the present the New Zealand Government has paid over £"GO,OOl) to exporters of meat on behalf of the Imperial Government."