MEAT FOR THE ARMIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2586, 7 October 1915, Page 6

MEAT FOR THE ARMIES

OPERATION OF SCHEME ___ -V|

COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT.

A comprehensive statement oil the working of the Imperial Government meat supply scheme was made by tho .Prim© Minister to tlio Ilouso yesterday. . '

."Since the inception of the selleme (i.e., March 3 the following shipments of' meat on behalf of the Impenal Government have been made:— 293,79G quarters beef. 1,&39,230 carcasses mutton. . , 2,711,865 carcasses lamb. . , V "Fifty-two' steamers have been emplojed.in the carriage oi tliis, of which 29 liave arrived at destination, 16 are now en route, and 7 are at present on the loading berth in the Dominion. ''The payments to date exceed live millions sterling,actually £5,001,290 Us. od., representing purchases in the various districts as follow North Island. ' Auckland 316,617 2IT Poverty Bay 455,897 9 6 Hawko's Bay ........... 412,718 9 1 Taranaki .................. 179,283 1 5 Wellington 1,275,016 12 '6 £2,637,544,15 5 . South Island. , Marlborough ........ 19,90511 *3 I Nelson 26,296 19 11 I Canterbury; 1,408,066 14 5 O ta S° , 441,347 19 9 Southland ■ 409,128 10 8 —T— — | ' £2,303,>745 16 0 Total £5,001,290 11 5 I z "Paympnt for shipments is made on production of the necessary documents, ■to the Officer m Charge, Imperial Gov- ' ornme'nt Meat Supply Branch, Wellington, and; for. the. convenience 'of shippers, arrangeihehte wore-entered into with .the banks, to . permit the' negotiation. 1 of-drafts on .that branch free of oxchango. ; ;Inv the'-case, of' tlioso shippers desiring "te: deal directly with the Officei in, Charge, :and,'a£ an', alterna.tive .method r 6f:;payment, ,'an 'arrange.ment. is „in force whereby. the 1 freezing companies may forward documents di;rectt°.,Wellington with an intimation 1 ' of the clients to whom payment is desired, when cheques made payable free of- exchange a.t. any bank indicated, are posted to_ the clicnts\named. Payments are invariably imade wiihin twenty-four hours of .. receipt of - documents.. .', _ "Tho.: ■ meat m storo' at the inception: of\ tho scheme amounted to 1,383,781 601b.. carcasses.' This rose to 2,181,659 601b. caroasses om July 3 last, but at the present ,time there are: ionly. approximately: : 550,000 in store, and with the - insulated tonnage in view there, wijl.be.nq ,difficulty; in lifting this pnor;!to:^the: ; the .hew. seaspiVs_V6fejck;'^,Ai:'least .eight of - the; freezing..;:stpres'.; are; empty .at the present, nioment.- • Tlie tonnage 1 \ now '■ in sight should, prove ample for the -Dominion's'-; requirements ito - the eiid of the present jear"