THE MEAT COMMANDEER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 289, 2 September 1919, Page 8

THE MEAT COMMANDEER

A POSSIBLE DANGER (To tho Editor.) ~ Sir— I There is an aspect of'the meat' iCommandeer which deserves attention. 'It khas! been, stated that' "black _ spot" {ind (mould I 'havo been discovered in some of : j the'largo quantities of meat now stored i'in some of the New Zealand freezing 'i.workii; on behalf of the Imperial Govern* ■janen£ Tlio pressure-on these works has 'ibeon so great during the past" two sea-' eons that it lias not yet been possible 1 to ship the meat that has been longest nn store; some of it has been there for fa. long time, and has no doubt deteriorate jed during that period. The clearing of jj this' meat from the works , as shipping fibeoomes available' will result in large ( qqantitics of it being placed on the Homo j {markets during the next: twelve . months /or so, and the marketing of this longs'etored meat may have a Very serious efij'fect on tho future.demand for our frozen I'meat at Home. The consumers who find [that the New Zealand meat (by reason iof. this long storage) is not up to tho •usual quality will acquire a fresh pxe- : ,-judico which it will take a long time to remove,, and ,which will most probably '.■Kdriottsly affect Homo prices when tho : commandeer is removed,. I do not know .dan best .be ditto to minimise' the ; danger I have indicated, but it is a serious matter, and should be taken'info i consideration by tho freezing companies ! and - producers at once, lest a groat in. : jury be done to flie frozen meat industry in this Dominion. According to pnrai graphs' in Home papers, there seems'to , be serious disorganisation in the handl''ing.'.of .the .commandeered meat at .Home, j and whilst it has been stated that there lare largo stocks in the'frozen stores at I 'Home, Glasgow papery-of J tine last show 1 that the' shortage of meat there was then '•so acute that the .'butchers were compelj'led to close their shops.' Tho great deI lays on, the Home railways and consequent deterioration of the meat are also complained of in Home papers. It is said that butchers in Cumberland and Westmoreland have I)een penalised, in . one,case for'a month/by having all Kuppliea.'of fresh meat stopped , because they ■would not accept frozen meat, their rea6<)n~ being 'iliat customers -would not buy it,"and ,the' consignments to them (from Liverpool) went bad on their hands. ,1, do..not wish to bo unduly pessimistic, ;but the matters lihave mentioned ju-e cortain to prejudice the market for our, frozen. meat, a market which it has taken years to build lip, and which has been fostered by careful grading at this end'and close attention, to the handling of the meat from the freezing works here to tho oonsumers in the United Kingdom. If the Home Government continue to exact high prices for the long-stored ■ commandeered New Zealand meat to bol-. ster up their American purchases, the ef--feet may be disastrous to the producers ' in, this .-Dominion. Newspaper cuttings i herewith.—! am, etc., C. L. DTJIGAN. Wanga'nni, September 1. 1910. [Enclosures.] : ~ CUJIBEREAND'S OBJECTION TO FROZEN MEAT. Partly owing to the great delays on . the Tailway, oausg the quality to deteriorate on tho journey, the frozen meat sent to Cumberland and land has usually been of iuferior quality. Butchers have been penalised by having all supplies of fresh meat stopped—in ■ one' Case for a month—because they would not accept frozen, their reason being. tb#.t, as customers would not buy, from Liverpool iverit bad on"tlieir" hands. On Tuesday Mr, 'ir'Browh,'.' Penrith, the local, Live Stock Cpniinissioner, explained that just now witfy the'continued hot weatheivthe difficulties 'of V handling - frozen meat, are jj'reatbst,.,ahd.the appearance:of' the'flesh'is at its worst. To endeavour to removo tile' prejudice he pointed out that the quantity of live stock required to supply his large area with tho present ra- : tion for one week is 032 cattle and 8000 sheep. During the week ending June 1.1 the numbers ■ received at the auction marts and at th« Government Authorised slaughterhouses in the area were only 2&! cattle and 1920 sheep. The deficiency ■ had to be made up from the only available- source—imported meat. Tho supply'of live stock cannot materially improve for some weeks, until grass-fed eattle are available,, and in the ■meantime it would be woll for the'dissatisfied to remember, that up. to. the present ' tlie" north-western area has had lesa frozen , meat than almost , any area iii (England. Mr. Brown believes that tlis better the situation is understood the more readily will it bo accepted. It should bo added .that since the strong ItroteSts.'. of : local authorities., the meat j n nine], better condition.—"West Cumberland Times," June 21, 1919. ■ "No allocation of meat was mad * to. Glasgow butchers yesterday, and practically all shops were shut throughout the day. Certain supplies wero reportedto be available, but these wero hold over to--swell to-day's allocation. Meanwhile butchers are complaining loudly, regarding the absence of relief supplies. There is mo reply yet to their message to tho Pood Controller appealing for the transfer, of Army meat in cold store in tne city'. The most important development is the intended action of Glasgow Tood Control Committee, which' will meet specially this afternoon to consider tho wholo position from the consumers' point Of- view. The shortage has led certain iiieat traders to declaim against control, and it will be interesting *to .see what view the Food Committee takes of this .aspect of the situation."—Glasgow "Bulletin," June 18, 1919. "At a special ■ meeting of Glasgow Food Control Committee statements from representatives of the Livo Stock Department of tho Food Ministry, the Food Commissioner for Scotland, and the retail lleshers of tho city were heard yesterday regarding the meat scarcity. T/ie Ministry's official explained the lack of supplies by (1) the seasonal shortage in home cattle on the markets, arid (2j tho congestion of transport facilities from England due to the Whitsuntide holidays. The committee was assured that the allocation for the current week would represent 70, per cent, of tho full weekly rationed allocation of the city, compared with 56-per cent, for- last week. Tho committee instructed tho executive officer to.press the Ministry of Food in London to divert soiuo of the shipments of fiozei) meat from Liverpool to Glasgow, in order to ease tho transport situation; and aiso to' secure that sufficient quantities ol meat be placed in cold store in Glasgow to-prevent a recurrence of such a short; age, and aro making these representations now in the interests of consumers." •HGln?gow "Bulletin," June 19, 1919. •-"Butchers throughout Glasgow appeareiLt'6' have ample supplies of meat yesJcrday.-: "It was learned that the quan. by, of .meat issued to> tho- trade from tho Jfcd ■ M6£t Market ■ represented 22 pel .cent, of the full rational requirements or tile city. Tliis is a liberal supply for , a Monday morning. Tho shortage luu. thus' passed, and tlio' assurance is given that it will not recur again in tho eairn •degree.-'Glasgow "Bulletin," June 24, 1918. - ..... "