THE MEAT TRADE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 255, 23 July 1919, Page 8

THE MEAT TRADE

PROBLEMS. TO BE FACED

STIMULATION OF CONSUMPTION

SUGGESTED

MR. E. A. GODSLAND'S VIEWS

The position of the frozen meat industry was the subject of some statements made to a Dominion reporter by Air. E. A. Godsland, who is Bristol Manager for the Bristol and Dominion Producers Association, Ltd. Mr.. Godsland is at present in Wellington on. a business visit. He urged that New Zealand producers ought to make a specv.l -effort to stimulate the consumption of meat in the United Kingdom, by 'securing its retail sale at more reasonable prices tnau now prevail. , In answer to a question, Mr. land said he agreed with the remarks made by Mr. \\, J. Fo.son in a letter published by The Do amnion July f. Mr. Poison said that the stores m ihe United Kingdom were full of meat ut the present time, while the consumption was being kept at the low war level by high prices and by the new national habit of substituting other for meat. "It is reasonable to ask, lie wrote, "that our meat should be so»d independent of American. If this were done it could bo immensely popularised at Homo without reducing the price to the producer in this country. J suggest that our own authonties should concentrate their .efiorts "on Ik\ villi; tins: done, and that the Government should at once sond Home a commission of leading New Zealand producers interested in and familiar with the meat industry, place the position before the English authorities, and endeavour to bring this about." ~ ,r r. 1 1 J The position, said Mr. Godsland, was as it had been staled by •1 I he Dominion's correspondent, and he was glad to see that the suggestion had been followed up by the Waiitfanui larmers' Union. The producers of Aew Zealand would be serving, their own interests <ind . the interests of the country by pushing their inquiries and ascertaining exactly where they stood. The Ivew Zealand 'farmers had sold their meat at comparatively low rates, under the impression that after the needs 01 uie Army had been served, the surplus meat would go to the public of Great B' 1 - am at a fair price. Yet because the Imperial Government had paid up to Is. 3d. per pound for American meat. .:l>Home consumers were paying corresponding retail prices for the iSew Zealand meat. This meant serious detriment, to the Dominion owing to reduced consumption at a time when there were lug stocks of meat to be disposed of. Jhe British public did not understand the position, and had not been made to realise that the patriotic iction of the New Zealand farmer was being defeated by the pooling of all.. the frozen meat at high prices. He did not think that there should be two prices for frozen meat in Britain, but the British hoc-* Ministry ought to be able to make general reduction. The Jvew Zealand producers had done their part, and they were entitled to a market and position equal to those they had sacrificed under war conditions. Mr. Godsland said he thought the Aew Zealand producers had reason for alarm regarding present stocks of meat. Xou have at the moment, over (,000,000 carcasses in store here, ' he said, ana 1 should say the stores are practically full at Home. It is estimated that tlieiv. are more head of cattle m Lngland tnau there were before the war. i\e_are I.old bv Mr. H. H. Roberts, M.P., the I'ood Controller, that in November of las. year there were over 160,000 tons of produce in store iii the United Kingdom, and that since January, 1919, there has not been less than 82.030 tons in store, more than half heir* meat. What is going to happen if large quantities of produce are not lifted from the New 7,ealaud stores? Apparently the Umpire has a good s<>PP>y of refrigerating boats. It was stated earlv in June of tins year that the number of' British-owned ships with refrigerated space was' 250, with a total capacitj of 50,000,000 cnbis feet, and that this number and capacity were greater than ever before, in spite of the operations ot the German submarines. . "I spreest that it is necessary to have increased demand from, the public at. Home in order to clear tho stores there and make space for the meat now held in New Zealand. Prices m the United Kingdom to the wholesaler the retailer, and the public have.been far too high, especially since tha armistice ami more moat should have been allocated ioi British consumption. We have condemnation to consider in connection with the prolongation of storage. Ilie weelclv condemnations have been alarming at Home. For instance, the amount of meat condemned in London alone 101 week ended May 10 of this year was eighty tons, representing a waste of about XSOftO. Does not this show that something is wrong? What! say to Zealand producer is: 'What are yon doine to ensure that you will have a read> market when your meat is free, and that vou will have space for killing and freezing?' The doctrine, 'Sufficient unto the. dav is the evil thereof, has cost the Emnire dearly in the past. Let us take a leaf from the Americans book, and lay down lines to-'day that will show results awav in the future." Keferring to the .suggestion that thero would be a demand for frozen meat from the Continental countries, Mr. Gotland said he did not think the demand from F.iirouc would be very largo. I'ranee, Italy, and Belgium, like Japan, had never been important consumers-of meat, and their standard of living was not likeIv to be raised under the financial and industrial conditions produced by the w ai. The' European countries had very little colrl storage. They were 111 the habit ot eating horses and qualities of meat that (lid not appeal to British taste. J toe misrht bo a demand for canned meats from Europe, but he hoped that most ol " the meat produced withm tho Britjs.i Hinnire would continue to be eaten by British people. If Hie producer got'a straight run. tho consumers would havo no "round for complaint, and it was the ilutv of the Governments to see that satisfactory conditions were brought about. Mr. Godsland added that he had heard a ''good deal ol the operations of the American "Meat Trust in New /en and, but this was not a matter on which he could express a definite opinion. He certainly thought the producers ought ,to be on their guard against allowing the trust to set a footing in New Zealand and \ustralia. If the rush were confined to North and South America there would bo 110 great cause for alarm, but if the trust secured a hold on Australasia, it would bo able to punish both producer and consumer. Tho producers and wholesalers in the United Kingdom were alive to the iwssibilities of the position, and he. thought that, they would welcome co-oneration with the dominions in resisting what might be a serious menace. N T o .doubt Mr. Massey would be able to explain tho position fully to the produce ers on his return to tho Dominion.