MEAT AND SHIPPING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 305, 20 September 1919, Page 9

MEAT AND SHIPPING

{■ THE POSITION EXPLAINED i PRIME MINISTER ADDRESSES . FARMERS • The Prime Minisler (Mr.. Massey) yes- •{ terday morning delivered a brief survey of the meat and shipping position to the : delegates to the conference of,tho Npw ! Zealand Farmers' Union. \ Before calling upon the Prime Minister to address tho conference, the president ', (Sir James Wilson) said that on behalf of the farmers he desired to welcome >. home Mr. Massey and Sir-Joseph Ward from their mission to Europe. Sir James .' Wilson mentioned that a conference of \ the farmers and tho Slieepownors* , Federation had decided to send Home \ a commission to inquire into the condi- , tions of the meat trade. * The Prime Minister thanked the dele-, gates for welcoming Sir Joseph Ward \ and himself on their return from Eui ro-pe. Ho had done his best, and he could only leave tho people to judge as ■ to whether he had done the right thing. He had noticed that the conference had dealt with some most important mat--1 ters. The producers deserved all the *. assistance that could "be given them. He : had hoped, that it would be possible to reduce taxation, but'the financial commitments of tho country would not per- : mit of that being done this year. Next year, however, he hoped to be able to review the whole system of taxation. > ' (Hear, hear.) He trusted that the party i system of government would be got rid of because it was not in the interests I of the country that it should continue.' ■ Mr. Massey .reviewed the-shipping position, and said thero Were 28 ships down : for sailing between September 1 and the > end of November. They would lift ! 2,182,000 carcasses. That, however, did not allow for tho out carcasses. In- \ eluding the latter, tho total number of carcasses requiring to be shipped in the / period he 'had mentioned was 2,727,500. - ' In'the next 12 months it would he neceseary to deal with 10,500,000 carcasses. What shipping was going to be like in that period he could not say, but since the end of the war the position had been gradually improving. He had no reason to think that it would be otherwise. The ■\vhole question was now raised as to what should be done when the commandeer oame to an end. He was prepared to take the opinion of the producers on the point, but if they asked him for his • advice ho would say that he believed the 6afo course would be to ask the Imperial Government to take the meat lor anothor year. (Hear,. hear.) He thought the outlook for the export of their produce was good, but it had to be remembered that the war had given a tremendous impetus; to the production of meat in South Africa. It should not be imagined that tho great demand that had obtained during the war for New Zealand meat would be maintained. Prices would go down, but the meat had a good reputation and uo 36ubt prices would correspond. Since March, 1915, New Zea- ■ land had sent away .£110,000,000 worth of its produce. "There are lots of people who think tho producers are putting the whole of this money in tlieir pockets and keeping it there," added Mr. Massey. "The fact is, however, that that inoney has. filtered down through every section of the community, and it is that money that has kept the country prosperous right through the war period and has enabled us to do our full 6hare during tho war period without hardship to ourselves." M.r. Massey said that Sir Walter Buchanan would be returning to the Dominion from the Old Country on 'Monday, and lie would he able to give a good deal.'of information with regard to the meat question. . J Extension of the Commandeer. Mr. R. D. Duxfield (Auckland) asked if' Mr. Massey could give an indication ■ as to why ho. favoured an extension of the commandeer. Mr. Muoscy replied that there might be a littlo difficulty in starting the trade in London again and getting back to tiio position that obtained prior to March, 1915, when the arrangements with the Imperial Government were made. Tho extension of the commaudeer would get ovor tho difficulty regarding shipping. If they decided'on that arrangement with the Imperial Government then 'ho thought it only reasonable to expect that at tho end of the Second period of IS inouthi the stores in New Zealand would be empty. The authorities at the ether end were anxious to meet thein in New Zealand, but if it was decided to go back upon the present arrangement they might not bo so willing to do so. jjv I'oiitniimig tho arrangement tne position would bo easier to deal with at the end of June, 1021, than it would be at the eud of June, 1920. In reply to a question, \ Mr. Massey 6aid there was still difficulty with regard to shipping, but there was not nearly so much as there was before, and there, was reason to believo that the situation would be lrss serious next year than it was now. At the same time, he could not imagine that they could get back to'the state of things existing before the war, even so far as iusulated ships were concerned. He had asked the question whether the Imperial authorities would ho willing to continua the meat purchase for another twelvo months, but had received uo reply. ' Replying to Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) tho Prime Minister said that at the end of next season it would bo necessary to make thinner.' arrangements for only two million three million carcasses in store., L. did not think there would be any uitticully in making the necessary arrangements with the banking institutions.

Imperial Shipping Boaro. • .Dealing with the question of shipping combines, in reply to Mr. R. Evans (North Canterbury), Mr. Massey said New Zealand might have to hint its own ships. There was a movement'in Great Britain—from which ho' expected very 'important results—to place the whole of the shipping with the overseas Dominions under an Imperial Board, which would have the' right to regulate ireights and fares, allowing a fair profit to tho owners and' the ships, but preventing auytliing in tho way of exploitation. That movement was started ,a year ago, and he bad obtained u direct urouiise that tht< matter would be gone on with. Although it would take time to arrange lie thought it would be the best way out of tho difficulty with regard to the shipping combino if it could be put into operation. New Zealand would do its full share in the matter, but if the pruject was to be a. success it must depend in the first place on the Imperial authorities themselves. Ho thought"! t ■would ba unwise for New Zealand to attempt to order or buy shfps in the existing circumstances. They -were far too dear and 'the nrice New Zealand would have to pay for the vessels would make it impossible to extend' any benefits to the producers. , . •At the conclusion of the Prime Minister's remarks the delegates rose and sang "For He's a Jolly Good Follow," and gave him three cheers as he left tho conlerence hall. I