STORAGE OF MEAT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2919, 3 November 1916, Page 4

STORAGE OF MEAT

ATTITUDE OF THE COMPANIES

The negotiations that havo been pro-. ceeding between, tho Government and" tho freezing companies with regard to the storage charges on meat purchased by the Imperial authorities wero mentioned yesterday by Mr. W. G. Poster, managing director of tho Wellington Meat Export Company. "The position lias not been stated quite accurately." said Mr.- Foster. >■ "Tho Minister of,Agrioulturo, in submitting tho question of-storage to the conference, of freezing companies called by him, said that the Imperial Board of Trado required a reduction in storage charges, with: a suggestion that it should be about one-half of last year's rates. This being the only matter for tho consideration of tho companies on that occasion, the Minister retired and loft the delegates in consultation. The reiult was the following counterproposal:—That in tho first month tho storago bo, as usual covered in' the freezing charge; tho storago chargeable to the Board of Trade for tho next (that Is : tho second) nionth to he onoeighth of a penny per lb.; while for succeeding months, without limitation as to time) tho rate bo one-sixteenth of a penny per lb. per month.

"It is obvious to all concerned that ■a limitation by way of maximum storage would be disadvantageous to the producers and to tho freezing companies. One© tho maximum was established pou would find thero was less inclination, or at least need, on the part of the Board of Trade to Teliove tho congestion here by tho provision of extra ships. "It Ims been _ suggested_ that the producers aro interested' in this matter' becauso if tho 6torago is reduced tlie freezing companies may look to the producer 'to mako up tho decrease. I can only say that no mention of such a probability was made at the conferenco.

The Fanners' Position. Tho attitude of the producers with regard to tho salo of meat to the Imperial authorities was staed by Mr. A. A. Ross, prosidont of tho Auckland provincial branch of tho _ Farmors' Union. Mr. Boss said it was an error to supposo that the producers of tho Dominion had expressed dissatisfaction with the -prices they had been receiving. Thoy had mado no complaint on that score, although thtiso prices had been a good deal lower than tho market rates.

"One cause of complaint on tho part of the Now Zealand farmers," said Mr. Ross, "is that tho Imperial Government lias been selling all tho New Zealand meat not required for military purposos t-o middlemen at what it cost, plus expenses. That is a good deal less than the market rates in tho'Old Country, and the balance goes to tho middlemen. Tho Imperial Board of Tra'da takes tho attitude that it has bought tho meat and that tho producer here has no moro say in tho matter. "Wo differ, contending that wo aro supplying tho meat at less than tho market rates, and, therefore, to a certain extent, look upon it as a gift to the Imperial Government for Imperial purposes. Instead of that it is giving it away to tho middlemen. My idea is that tho Imperial Government should sell tho surplus New Zealand meat on its own account at market rates, and then tho whole benefit would go to tho public purso. The Imperial Government lias so far, however, declined to alter its procedure."