MEAT COMMANDEER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 278, 13 August 1918, Page 8

MEAT COMMANDEER

EXTENSION PROPOSAL

PRODUCERS TO BE CONSULTED

No action has yet been iaken by the Minister in Charge of Imperial Supplies regarding tho proposal recently made that the requisition of meat for export by the Imperial Government should bo continued if possible for at;,least a year after tho end of jiie war. Tliore seems to have arisen, in tho minds of some of the producers an idea that this proposal emanates from London. This is not so. The suggestion is raado to tho Government by representatives of tho industry in this country,, and their proposal is that the Imperial Government be asked to agree to take our meat for a year or more after tho end of the war—for as long as tho wool commandeer continues has ken the suggestion most generally made. It is not nt all certain that the Imperial Government will agree to the proposal. Tho end of the war is not yet, but it is desired that the matter be "finally settled at the New Zealand eud, as soon as possible in order that suoti request as may havo to' be mado on behalf, of New Zealand may be mado by Mr, llassey in person. The Minister (the Hon. D. IT. Guthrie) paid yesterday that ho had cabled Mr. Massey that this proposal had been suggested to him, but ft delegation of producers was to wait upon him on Friday next. After that meeting he would cable to Mr. Massey tho decisions made. In nil correspondence he had had with producers on. this question he had strongly urged them to support the of the commandeer in the interests of New Zealand producers generally. It was true that the representative body with which ho had been in touch was the Dominion Meat Producers' Executive, which he Understood represented the meat producers of tho country. He had since learned that the meat producers did not ncoept this representation. While regretting tho delay, he had agreed to meet a committee directly representative of the growers of meat on Friday. With tho exception of two companies, ail tho freezing companies, including the farmers' companies, had agreed to the proposal to extend the commandeer. He understood that the farmers' company which had nt first objected, had since withdrawn its opposition, and tho proprietary company which had l> een A l6 otlier objector had in subsequent correspondence modified its opposition.