MILITARY MEAT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2610, 4 November 1915, Page 9

MILITARY MEAT

- OUR COMMANDEERED PRODUCE ; FARMERS SUSPICIOUS WHAT OCCURRED AT LONDON? (Special Reporter.) Palmerßton North, November 3. _ Hiere is a movement among some 6cc- ■ tions of tlie meat producers of New 1 Zealand to press for an investigation of the transactions involving New Zealand melit, which was commandeered here and afterwards sold at Home. ■ A meeting on this subject was held at the Palmorston North Show Grounds to-night, and it was attended by representatives of 13 interested concerns, and by sevoral interested farmers. Mr. O. Hawk-en, president of the Egniont Agricultural Association, presided. Tlio matter originated with the Egniont Association, when Mr. Hawken diw attention to it. The Egmont Association circularised other associations in Now Zealand in terms which aro summarised in the following paragraph:— "Last year the New Zealand Government commandeered our moat output , for the- use of tli6 British Army; much commandeered mutton and lamb was unsuitcd to Army use and was sold to the British public, and, judging by the London market reports, it had been sold at a large profit on the commandeered price. Though high officials stated that 110 profit had been, made, the farmers wanted to know where tho difference in the two prices went. Moreover, thfire was need for every branch of tho agricultural industry to be keenly vigilant as to the conduct of their business. Mr. Hawken said -that it had been found that farmers Were dissatisfied, and wished to have the question gone into. The British Government wanted our meat, and our Government had commandeered it for tlieni, and the producers here had understood that the meat was to be for the use of the Army. However Y.hß,a,Howevel- bqSfilffz a,xfl b flhouo somoof the meat had not been required, and was sold to private firms. There was .a suspicion among fanners that all wis not ivell in tho matter of these sales, and it was necessary to ascertain if this meat -was sold to big people who had squeezed a number of retailers out. of business. If these retailers had been closed up, it was serious to New-Zea-land, for they were New Zealand's customers, and once we lost our customers there might be great difficulty in regaining or replacing them. Tliere was a- big difference in the price qt which the farmer parted with the meat and the price at which it was sold in England, and tho fanners here were amazed when they heard that they had made no profit out of the meat. The farmers here had reckoned that lhe British Government was making a million and a half sterling out of the deal, and that tho British people were gettmg the benefit of it. If tho farmers' fears were well founded, it would take yearß to restore their injured' trade to its former standing, and they must find out where the money lia<l gone. The resources of the country were not being conserved, inasmuch as vast sums of money were going into elusive channels. Mr. Hawken moved: "That ill the opinion of this meeting it is necessary for the whole question of the commandeering of our meat and shipping to be carefully and impartially investigated by the authorities, and that a. committee should bo set up to assist and go into tho whole matter." , Mr. Lysnar (Gisborno) seconded l tho motion. He said that a committee such as suggested had been set up in Gisborno. It had been definitely stated officially that beef was wanted, but not mutton, and if inutton was not wanted, why take it? If they took it why should they not pass on tne restrictions which operated at- this endp Mutton y -as bringing nearly four times as much m England as in New Zealand, so there was obviously a big. margin 'when sold privately. An Argentine Meat Trust had been given tho right to monopolise the supply of meat to Franco during the war, and for three years after. Seeing that New Zealand was giving its kith and lan and its treasure in this war, our farmers should realise the position and bestir themselves. The Prime Minister had admitted to him _ that they had agreed to give tho shipowners a forty per cent, increase on freight, which might or might not, be all right, but the great thing was to see where the profits at the other end went to. They had been told that five millions of money had been -paid for the meat, but on the Smithfield prioes the amount could have been fifteen millions, so there was a big discrepancy to be traced. The best duty New Zealand farmers could perform, outside personal service,'was to i produce and to insist that our allies, the consumers, were not exploited. r j ®} van Cambell (Wanganui) ob- ! served that the impression had been . conveyed by a previous speaker that the ' British Government had done nothing for the New Zealand producer. Such : was not the case, for had the British Government, in answer to pressure ' from the New Zealand Government, not 1 ceased the commandering of insulated ; ships, our meat would havo been piled up in the stores. The New Zealand 1 farmer got a fine price fot his meat, and the man who wanted more was a hungry demon. Not only did Chey set 1 <t fine price, but speculation ceased, ! because the money was paid practically over the ship's side. He thought tho ] meeting was insufficiently represents- ' tive. <

The motion was carried without dissent, and the following committee was set up to wait on tlie Prim© Minister to-day:—Messrs. 0. Hawken (Hawera), Lysuar (Gisborno, James Knight (Fo'WinK), A: H. Waring (Wailcato), n. D. Powdrell (Kaupokonui), and R. A. Masters (Stratford).