THE MEAT PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 281, 23 August 1919, Page 10

THE MEAT PROBLEM

CONFERENCE AT PALMERSTON SUGGESTION TO SEND A COMMITTEE d TO ENGLAND o ' , 9 ■ A provincial conference of the 1 armors' Union was held at Palmerston J North on Thursday to receive tne report " of a committee which recently intcr- , viewed the Prime Minister und fair q Joseph AVard with a view to having a committee set up to procoed to England 0 and investigate tho possibilities of re--0 lieviug the present congested stato of the New Zealand freezing stores. There was a good attendance of delegates present, both of representatives oi tho different branches ol the Eurmers' Union in the district, A. and P. associations, and farmers' freezing companies, says tho ' "Manawatu Times." The president, Mr. G. |j. Marshall (Marlon) occupied the chair. Tho chaii'man, in opening the pioccediufis, said lie Iwd not much to add to what had been reported through tho j Press as to' the result of the interview. The farmers' contentions had been fully confirmed by the Primo Minister and 2 'Sir Joseph Ward, who had stated that , there would bq at least 1,000,000 carcasses in tho free'zinx works at the end of tliis year, and they would still be lull of meat when the commandeering eeased. Their idea had been to secure some other ) method of relieving the congestion than merely asking for more ships. Ha pointed out that our meat was being sold in 1 England in conjunction witli American meat at a profit to the British Guvern--1 meat.- -Our meat cost landed in England Sid. to 'Jd., while.-' American meat I cost lid. to Is. 3d. The extra price was being loaded oil to our meat, and the .English people were asked to pay i:n . excessive price for it. The result' was that people could not afford to pay for I it, and only one-third of the total supply was applied for when the restrictions were lifted. Tho Ministers had been 1 pleased with tho idea of sending men , Homo to investigate the matter so that - they could learn something of the condii tions ruling on the Loi-don market. At the same time tneso men would be up against Ijig concerns in London, and would need official confirmation in their investigations. Ministerial Suggestions. A letter was read from the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. D. S. jracDonald) stuting that careful consideration must be given to the selection of the most suitable men to make the visit'to England, and the number should be limited, one from tho North Island and one from tho South Island being sufficient, if the selections were made. It might bo that provincial considerations might demand a larger representation,, but if so, four shoirid )>a the absolute limit, In any case, it was desirable that a capable Government officer, thoroughly acquainted with the meat export trade in all its aspects, should 'be added. Seeing that the Prime Minister had already expressed his approval of the general idea, the proper course to adopt now -would bo to 6ecuro the co-operation of the farmers' organisations throughout tho Dominion in arranging for die selection of the individuals to make tho visit, and for setting ont the matters wljich it wns desired should be included in thin the scope of their investigations. When this had been completed,, the .Prime Minister sliould lie approached and asked to grant an interview at which all details could be gone into, and approval asked for the appointment of the individuals selected to form what might be termed a "committee of inquiry," together with a decision as to tho status of the committee and its scope of action. Mr. Mac Donald pointed out that as in. some respects tho interests of the freezing companies were identified with those of the producers, it would be most advantageous if tho planning out of tho arrangements- could be managed in such a manner as would ensuro that the freezing companies were in practical sympathy with what is being done, from the jiroad national standpoint. Further correspondence, which was treated aa confidential, was also received from the Minister. Tho chairman went on to.state that tho question was whether they were to suggest nnmes for the commission or wait for a, Dominion conference. lie pointed out that tirao was a great consideration, as to do any good t-hey had to have ilho results of the committee's inquiries before June 20, 1920. Mr. W. J.,l'olson (Wanganui), a member of the deputation, said they had not received much definite information. The. opinion had been advanced that the effect of four or five years' discipline in tho eating of meat had made such a difference that tho meat was not now required. This had been verified to the speaker by a. representative'of a London meat house. In spite_ of the figures Mr. -M'assey gave, he considered there" would be as many carcasses in the stores in Juno as there were now. Extension of Commandeer. Mr.-Benton (Waverley) spoke strongly in favour of asking the Government to arrange for the extension of t\\e commandeer, He pointed out that tho Commission would be up against a serious thing! if they had no official backing. Tho Ministers' idea in sending the commission Home wos to relievo themselves of their responsibility. It was an admission that they wero unable to cope with the situation themselves. He considered tiie lnisli . tanner would be put at the mercy of the fattening man if the commandeer were not continued. If the shipping were not under control the freights would go where most money was offered. He moved: — That this meeting favours the' extension of the meat commandeer until June 20, 1921, the price to bo on a purity with-the other prices of frozen meat on the English market, and with a guarantee tint the freezing slorjs will ..dear within fivo . months after that date. . He said it was their duty to protect the producer, particularly (lie man financed by. mercantile firms. The other method suggested was gambling on an uncertainty. 11 r. Howie seconded tho motion pro forma. Till-. Hubbard (Tiritea) said that if the responsibility rested with the Imperial Government ho would like to see the commandeer continued. Mr. Penrce CRangiotu) thought it would bo a great mistake to extend the commandeer. If the Imperial Govern- ' ment could not deal with tho meat they sliould mit it on the market. Mr. J. C. Cooper (Masterton) said tho last thing tliey should do was to go back to the commandeer, Tho particular reason for that was they did not want America to get tho run of tho markets of the world. They might havo to renew the contract, but if they could find any other means, let them do so. .A (■nmniiltee should be set up to go intothe question of ways and means. Ho gave them his assurance that no meat was deteriorating in the stores here. The shipping was tho crux of tho whole question. He blamed the lime taken in loading and unloading for much of tho delay. His own firm were now loading ships which had been on their loading list since last Mny. A recent cablegram from England which was more reassuring had stated that, provided there were no strikes, half the meat in their stores 'hero would be cleared by January 1. Actually eleven ship 3 had left, which could deal with n little over 1,000,000 carcasses, so that tho outlook was not as black as it had looked. Unless tho Imperial Government were able to draw on ships trading lo other parts for our Now Zealand trade, there wns not a hope of getting the meat cleared out of our stores by June 20. Tho American Trust. Mr. Poison deplored the hold which the American Meat Trust was securing on the markets of the .world with colonial meat, and instanced the case of n lirm in Queensland which was using Australian meat to establish a market in the East. As loiu: as tho commanded' lasted it prevented us from entering tho other markets of the world, and it was fatal to continue with it. The question of finance was not insuperable. Tho Imnerial Government had already come to bo better for us to act as salesmen for trivial in their outlook, and would create tho means to assist us out of any financial difficulty we might yet encounter, Shipping was in one senso the crux of the situation, but he failed to see that

it was going to make any difference if the meat were only transferred from our stores to the British stores. It would be better for iw to nci ns salesmen for tho Imperial Government's meat in our stores. Mr. Vile (Palmerston) thought they should not pass a resolution till the matter had been placed before a representative conference from both islands. The motion was finally lost. Suggested Dominion Conference. On resumption after tho luncheon adjournment. Mr. Marshall said he thought a. resolution should bo put through to tho effect that they proceed to circularise the farmers' unions and A. and 1\ associations and freezing companies, urging them to meet in conference in Wellington and confer with the Ministers as to their scope of investigations. It was necessary that something bo dono as soon as possible ns they were only "beatins tho air" there. He considered that it" they held the meeting on, say, the middle day of the conference they would get n, representative gathering. A deputation would interview the Minister at I.Ue conclusion of the Dominion Conference. ~ , Mr Cooper asked if it. wouid not bo better at this stage to get tho feeling of tho meeting regarding tho delegation to England. A Delegation Favoured. • \ motion was then put urging tho advisability of Fowling a delegation of inquiry Home. Tho motion was carried, there being only ore dissentient \oico ■V discussion followed as to whether the cheese and butter interests should be circularised. It was eventually resolved, on the motion of Mr. Poison: That a committee be set up> 1o frame a report to be submitted lo the farmers' unions, A. and P. associations, and the fssoeinted freezing companies in the Dominion for their endorsement within 11 days, in ■ tho event of nicli endorsement being generally given the committee to have power to act.on tho lines suggested in tho previous resolution tnd recommend ij commission to tho \ Government, to be sent Homo at tho Dominion's ■-•xpense. The Shipping Monopoly, Mr. • E. Newman, M.P. (Rangitikei), said Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward had done everything they could at Hnmo under tho existing difficulties. Sir Walter Buchanan ?who might be termed tho father of tho industry) agreed with him in that. Both he and Sir Walter Buchanan had gone Hume to investigate the position on one occasion, and had como back completely baffled with the intricacies of the trade. The fact that tho shipping was in the hands of a monopoly was a nost serious menace, and the' Government were endcat&uriiig to combat it Without building ships they could secure hi interest in shipping, though they might not own them. They should never allow only one man to have his fingers nn the jugular vein of New Zealand. It was a preposterous position that in 'a country such as this the shipping should be in tho hands of a monopoly. A .voice: Cut is perfectly true! Mr. Newman: I know it is true and that is why I i ave continually brought the matter up'and fought against it. The motion was finally carried. Tho following were appointed to act on the committee:—Messrs. A. D. McLeod, J. C. Cooper, and H.. Morrison (Wairarapa), 11. Burrell, G. L, Marshall, W. .T. Poison. ,T. Liuklater, and W. D. Powdrell (Manawatu and districts beyond). Protest Against Pooling N.Z, Meat. The following motion was passed unanimously without discussion on the motion of the chairman:— ' That; the Government be requested to ca'ble the High Commissioner protesting most strongly against: New Zealand meat being pooled with American'meat for sale, and that the High Commissioner be instructed to take vigorous action to stop the practice. Also that the High Commissioner be to cable out tho amount of New Zealand frozen meal: in store in England at the present : time. | The conference then adjourne<l. Wool Commandeer. . At a subsequent meeting of the Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union tho matter of tho wool commandeer was discussed, and the following'resolution passed :—. That ■ seeing that the Government boa commandeered all wool, any individual who holds his wool for tho sako of high profits should not bo allowed to ship his wool till all the stores in- New Zealand are first cleared of produce of every description.