THE MEAT TRADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2829, 21 July 1916, Page 6

THE MEAT TRADE

ALLEGED IMPERIAL PROFITS. In the House'of Representatives yesterday afternoon Mr. Q. Witty drew the attention of the Prime Minister to a letter published in the Christchurch "Press" by Mr. Or. D. Greenwood, in which it was alleged that the Imperial Government wns making a profit of ]2s. Bd. per head of lamb sent Homo from New Zealand, and was soiling them to the consumer at Home at a cheaper rate than they could-be sold in New Zealand. If this were bo, asked Mr. Witty, would the Prime Minister seo that tho people in New Zealand got first chance to secure cheap meat, seeing that the Old Country was not -using this meat for its troops? 11 ■ , 111 reply, the Et.. Hon. W. P. Massey said that he had not sufficient data at hand to reply to the question about the profit on lamb. Tijo statement was also made that none of the mutton being sent Home was being used for the purposes of the Imperial , troops, but this was not quite correct, for he believed that some part of the mutton was used, but none of the lamb. He was having thfc matter looked up—as a matter of fact, correspondence had been passing between him and the High Commissioner on this very subject within the last few weeks, and he hoped he would be. able to make a statement to the House in a flay or two. Tho statement was made tlmt the cost was 2d. per lb., but as a matter of fact he believed the cost was !iot less than 2sd. nor lb. There were many charges, said Mr. Mnssey. upon tho meat which tho public di-d not think of, and which were unheard of before tho commencement of the war. For instance, owing to the scarcity of shinping. the Imperial Board of Trade had had to pay very heavy charges for storage in New Zealand. It wa3 thought at the time the arrangement was entered into that the .Board of Trade would seo that sufficient shipping came to this country to take away the meat. But this had not been the case. ' Approximately, 2,000,000 carcasses were ill store in this country. These had to bo paid for after one month's storage, and then at the other end the Board of Trade, for Teasons of its own. kept 3,000,000 carcasses in store 'as a sort of reserve, and this, of course, had to be paid for. Then there Was the cost of handling at the other end, commissions and demurrage, and co on. These things had to be paid for. Mr, Mnssey concluded by promising a statement when he received the full details of tho subject.