THE MEAT INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 269, 9 August 1919, Page 8

THE MEAT INDUSTRY

FUTURE DISTRIBUTION IN ENGLAND ' DANGER OF THE AMERICAN TRUST By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. Marton; August 8. . Farmers in the Wellington provincial district, as well as in other parts of (ho North Island, are greatly alarmed at tho serious danger which threatens the meat industry of the Dominion owing to the want of insulated shipping, and with a view to discussing the* position a special meeting of the executive of the Farmers' Union was held at Marton, there being delegates present from all parts of the province, as well ns from up the Main Trunk line. Mr. Hugh Burrell, chairman of the Federated Freezing Companies and chairman of directors of tho Feildintr Farmers' Freezing Co., moved: "That'in view of the serious position likely to arise at the conclusion of tho Imperial commandeer of New Zealand meat as set out in a statement recently, prepared and published by Mr. W. Poison, the co-operii- | tion of the farmers' freezing companies in New Zealand earnestly requested lo I bring pressure to bear on the Govern- I ment to set up a committee of expert producers familiar with the meat business, both from tho farmers' and freezing conipunies' points of view, to proceed to England to investigate the position at Home, and if possible to arrange for the future distribution of our rr.tat.'' Speaking to his motion, Mr. Burrell said that the position was gradually growing worse. They had been told Jr-. time to time to expect more' 'nsulater! boats to lift the meat in store, but they had not come. Mr. Poison gave 800,000 carcasses as the amount that should be lifted in July, whereas the actual amount was 415,000. In further explanation of (he position Mr. Burrell pointed out that 800,000 was a reasonable estimate, especially ns the figures were derived from a shipping source, but Mr. Poison had stated in his letter that the estimated shortage on the 3,250.000 carcasses shipped between July and November would he at least half a million, whereas already for the month of July the shortage was close on. half a million. He contended that something had to be done | auickly; otherwise the producers were (need with a great calumitv, and would I be practically driven right into the arms' of tho American Meat Trust. Such a disaster would reflect on New Zealand trade. Mr. W. Poison, of Wanganui, who is regarded as one of the best authorities in New Zealand on the moat question, addressed the meeting, and said in the first plnce he could not ngree with the suggestion that everything possible had been done at this end. Re believed the Imperial authorities were in full s>mpathy with the New Zealand produ/ors. and would meet them half-way if they had the position properly explained to : them by men who knew what they were talking about. As the result of polling the meat at the other end, New Zealand meat at 7d. and Bd. per lb. had to compete with American meat, which cost Is. 3d. This aspect had not been sufficiently impressed on tho Imperial authorities. They had been hammering away at the wrong end of the stick, asking for moro ships. Correspondents of the leading newspapers in the last fortnight had endorsed his ' statement, that there was a glue at Home through being full of meat. In some quarters it was held that that was impossible, and as peoplo were starving for meat there could be no glut. The fnct was the Imperial. Government hoarded meat during the war. and rightly so. Since the war the authorities had been trying to get rid of the accumulation.- There was a quantity of American meat to be lifted, as great, really, as the quantity in New Zenland. The trouble was the people at Home were not eating meat. Mr. Poison,- proceeding, said that a firm of which ho was the New Zealand director, had had control of the distribution of a large proportion of tho Imperial Government's meat in the South of England at the time when the amount to be distributed in May Inst was increased, two ounces a week. The effect, however, was that the butchers were unable to sell even so small an additional amount, and it was thrown back on the Imperial authorities s in LikncVm. The amount was /increased bv 1100 tons, and that amount wns thrown back. • Tho Homo people for five ■years had been- doing largely without meat, and it could not bo expected' that they would Kit the old amount iniinediatolv. Recent statements in the New Zealand Press from London correspondents were that at Home'they wero now growing sufficient meat for the civilian They could always supply CG cor cent. Now, with the different tastes of the people, they could, supply all the' demand. This was a very important matter. It meant that New Zealand must nlaco its meat on the market so cheaply ns to induce the people .to go back io the old order of things. Mr. Poison expressed himself as being strongly opposed to the commandeer for another twelve months, as it would only prolong the agony, and, in any case, it was stultifying those concerns w'hich were genuinely anxious to develop European markets for the salo of our meat. To Mr. Poison ono very serious nspect was that the Americans had their eye on the meat business, and their opportunity was coming. Certain offshoots of the Meat Trust wero forming neti branches and companies. One had a capital of and another a capital of ■£20.000.01)0. They were out to exploit the European markets, and particularly Great Britain. With that prospect 'before them, freezing companies would be very chary about buying meat. Possibly they might take it into' etoro for the fanner, and hold it at his risk, charging him storage- until they could ship it. Then tho farmer would have to go to tho banker, and it would not be known what the meat would be worth in twelve months, consequently tho banks would he disinclined to make any advances on meat. The Americans would then come along, and say "We have tho money; sell | your meat, and you can havo the cash to-morrow." What would tho farmers do? With their experience of -farmers,, what would the answer be ? The trust would be operating at both ends if steps wero not taken. The whole question would he very complex, and needed a lot of consideration. The solution was to eo Home to headquarters and put the rase fairly and effectively before the Imperial authorities. He believed their f/wse of. justice would impel them to see that justice was done to New Zealand nrodueers. Mr. Poison concluded a tolling speech by referring to certain pergonal observations he had made in Queensland in respect to the harmful results of the American Meat Trust. _ A long discussion followed, .in which farmers were united in the opinion that something should bo done promptly. The resolution was carried, and a deputation was appointed to proceed to Wellington to represent tho matter to the Government.