NEW ZEALAND MEAT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 111, 4 February 1920, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND MEAT

GROWERS ANXIOUS J FEAR OF GLUT IN HOME MARKET A COMMISSION ADVOCATED By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent. Palmerston North, February 2. A meeting called to consider matters connected with tho frozen meat industry, more especially in connection with tho lifting of tho commandeer, was called at-Palmerston North to-night. It was attended by 2-14 persons. Mr. H. Akors (president of tho A. and P. Association) presided. Mr. Alters explained that tho commandeer of New Zealand meat was ceasing on June 30, and some steps would have to bo taken to make provision for marketing tho meat at Home. , '. Mr. W. J. Poison (Waiiganm) said that when tho commandeer censed they could not expect the Imperial Government to take any further meat which might bo put in the works.. They would then be faced with tho million carcasses of Imperial meat in store, arrangements for tho shipping of which must bo made before any meat put in by tho farmers or the freezing companies couui tie got away. It would bo impossible for any freezing company to carry out its business in tho ordinary way in the face of this extremely serious position, winch would be aggravated by the extra cost of freezing. Companies would not buy thomselves, and therefore tho farmer would have to go to the banker for advances which in the circumstances would bo very difficult to obtain. This offered a golden opportunity for the American Meat Trust to operate. While not wishing to blame the Prime Minister for tho position he felt that the advisers on whom Mr. Massey depended had misled Mr. Massey into believing that the commandeer would be extended. He read a letter that ho had written to Dr. ReaKCS (Director-General of Agriculture), in which he stated that in his opinion the Imperial authorities were discrediting our meat, which was now being marketed in very bad condition. In his letter he asked whether a commission would Ijr 6©nt home, but so far ho had received no reply. Ho read some extracts of instructions issued to tho area officers in England to expect this. After October 27 butchors were entitled to 100 per cent, of Home-killed meat, but after that they- could get what imported moat they required. This showed that there was plenty of Home-killed meat on the market—in fact, more than they required—and he had information that cattle were being sent back to the farms as they were m over-supply. Another authority had written to him to tho effect that a great deal of New Zealand meat which had been m store so long was coming out in such a bad condition that tho public were disinclined to uso it though it was sold at a big reduction on tho price of English meat. The fact was that our meat was in such a bad condition that people would not buy it. New Zealand had done so much for the Empire during the war that it was" entitled to some consideration from the Imperial authorities. When the stores were getting full here it had been suggested that a great deal of the meat in the. stores should be canned, but nothing had been done in tho matter. Had something been dono, the position would have been considerably relieved. Authentic information had been received that all the stores at Home were glutted and numbers of our 6hips were being hung up as no place could bo found to store the cargoes. It was erroneous to attribute the trouble to tho shortage of shipping, as there were now more insulated ships than before the war. His opinion was that new markets should bo looked for, especially on tho Continent, but he was satisfied that in future America would be our greatest consumer, and the time would eomo when a direct line of insulated steamers would nin between New Zealand and San Francisco. The position was so critical that he felt that a commission, howover constituted, should go Home to endeavour to mend matters of distribution at the other end. It had come to his knowledge that largo quantities of our meat was being destroyed and used for manure. Mr. H. Bennett (chairman of the Associated Freezing Companies) said that the matter' was one which concerned farmers more especially. Tho freezing companies were quite a'ble to tako care of themselves, and growers could not expect sympathy in that quarter. Farmers could not expect to look to the freezing companies to finance them, and would find difficulty in getting financed by commercial concerns. Tho position so far as storage was concerned was wqrso now than at tho corresponding period last year. Mr. Massey had stated that there would probably be 2,000,000 carcasses left in store at tho close of -the season. He did not know whore Mr. Massey got the information, but he was satisfied that Mr. Massey was too sanguine. Taking The most optimistic view, there would be at least 4,000,000 carcasses in store at the close of tho season, even if slapping came forward as was expected, but of this he was very doubtful. The danger was that if they urged the Imperial Government to clear tho stores they would dump meat on tho Homo market at a reduced rate, and would detrimentally affect prospects of our own meat in tho markets. It was quite time that tho farmers woko up to tho position and took steps to wake up the Government, which had been suffering from sleeping sickness, and insist that tho position should bo put plainly beforo tho Imperial Government, who, he was sure, would not intentionally do New Zealand injury after the part she had taken in the war.

Mr. Akers thought that they should Tirgo the Government to make inquiries as to new markets to relieve the position. It was quite likely that the Meat Trust would operato here and endeavour to secure our meat and ship it Home on its account. The shipping position Was shown by a cablegram from Home that day, which virtually said that numbers of our steamers in Home ports were actually being added to the storage space of Britain, and would be hung up indefinitely, thus further shortening the supply of steamers. If the original New Zealand insulated fleet were availablo they would still require a further larw number of ships to clear the stores. He was sure that the farmers d ; d not tcM'sp the seriousness of tho position, and he believed that the close of the season would seo 6,000,000 carcasses in stnrn here. It must bo remembered that slaughtering had increased by fully 25 per cent, in, the past three venrs, and this required extra storage. If they had managed to pet ships, even then they would be unable to dispose of tho meat on the Homo markets. His own opinion was that tlie true solution .would be an extension of the commandeer. If the extension was not made, it would be n very serious matter for the Dominion. Mr. P. W. Hubbard had always understood Hint the shortage of shipping was at the scat of the trouble, but now it appeared that it was an unprecedented glut in the Home market. Mr. Massey had complained that people were too prono to lean on him, and had suggested that farmers should wake.up and do something off their own bat in tho way of setting up a farmers' co-operative association to seek for a fresh market. Russia and some of the Continental countries were absolutely starving for wnnt of meat. This showed that there was something absolutely wrong in tho wholo economic position. Mr. Poison explained that when Mr. Massey was waited upon about the sending of a commission Home ho had said that if the commandeer was extended there would bo no need for a commission to go Home;'bnt if it was to cease, then tho sooner one went Home the better. And yet the Government had done nothing further in the matter, aiyl Mr. Massey was reported as saying in Christcburch the other day that tho farmers did not wont to send a.commission nome. Mr,,Ak'o'fsy in speaking.o'f tho personnel of. the nroposed commission, npnroved of the other delegates suggested, but thomrht that Dr. Tfoakes should be replaced by a commercial man. Ho suggested that they should not depend upon tho Government at all, 'but that the farmers should find tho required money themselves, If they knew how serious

the matter was they would immediately find tho money necessary, which would probably bo somowhcro about ,£IO,OOO. Mr. V. G. Baldwin said ho had no doubt that tho Imperial Government was profiteering in our wool as well ns in our meat. Ho quoted figures to ehow that tho cost of conveying tho moat from New Zealand to England and supplying consumers was more than equal to tho valuo of the meat in storo here. The matter was ono which farmers must take up. They must own ships, and. have an up-to-dato mode of distribution controlled by thorn, Argentine produce- was taken direct from the ship's side to the store by the growers' own means of locomotion. They must cut out middlemen. Tho worst middleman now was the Imperial Government. It was no uso for the farmers to talk and cry. They must combine and put their shoulders to the wheel if they ever expected to improve the position. Mr. Bennett explained that tho- Imperial Government had made up its los="s in American meat at tho expense of tho New Zealand product. Mr. Hubbard snoke of the manner in which meat was handled on the wharves in Wellington. He considered it anything but sanitary. Endeavours should be made to improvo matters in this respect at this end. Mr. Pcarce had seen the same thwj! and had also seen carcasses roughly handled. Slings should be loaded in trucks and hatches made on top to lift them out. He referred to tho rough handling of cattle in transport on the railways. This handling, bruised a tremendous number of cattle, and made them fit for canning only. Mr. Akors Agreed that there was room for great improvement in tho handling at this end. Mr. 11. Vile (president of tho Manawatu Sub-Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union) expressed regret that no commission had been sent homo as proposed. He understood it had heen stated that tho proposal to send a commission was the outcomo of a hole-and-corner meeting in Palmerston North. He protested against that, ns tho proposal had been endorsed by all branches of the Farmers' Union in the Dominion. Mr. Massoy had said that a commission should go Home, and the Government would pay expenses. Tho speaker natirrally wanted to know why it had not been sent. He moved: "That--the Government be asked if it intends to send Home the commission appointed by tho Dominion Conference of the Farmers' Union and tho Sheepowners' Federation; and if not, why not." Mr. ,T. Linklater seconded the motion, expressing tho opinion that a commission should havo been 6ent Home long ago. Then the present position would' nover have arisen. At tho request of the meeting Mr. Poison gave an outline of what the commission proposed to do if sent Home. -That concluded tho business. ! THE COMMTTTFE OF INQUIRY [ SCHEME. The proposal that a committeo representing meat producers in New Zealand should be sent Home to investigate conditions there was made to (ho Prime Minister some months ago, but soon after it was made the prime mover in the matter. Mr. W. J. Poison, was seriously iniured. The elections came also, and the business slipped out <i notice. Mr. Massev said yesterday that he was quite nrenared to send the committee Home if the reauest were renewed.