THE MEAT TRADE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 112, 5 February 1920, Page 5

THE MEAT TRADE

END OF COMMANDEER

OUR GOVERNMENT NOT TO BLAME

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME

MINISTER

THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL

-A statement was made by the Prime Minister yesterday in reference to the criticisms of the Government at the meeting of producers held at Palmerston. Following is the text of Mr. Masscy's statement —

"I don't know where the speakers got their information from, but some of the statements made are hopelessly wrong. Mr. Poison seemed to surest that in Borne vague way the Government were to Maine h'ecauso tho Imperial Government ■had notified New Zealand that the commandeer would cease at .Tune 30. Now. as a matter of fact. I have over and over again expressed the opinion that it would be a good thin? to continue the commandeer of meat for nunllher year, but there was a very acute difference of opinion anions the producers themselves, many contending that as tho war wps ovr they fthmild he Riven a free market. I predicted a few weeks ago to a deputation of dairy farmers that the Imperial people would drop the meat and wool, but might be willing to continue the purchase of butter for another season, but if I had been given authority I should have been only ton pleased to ask the British Hoard of Trade tn so on with 7v"w /'ealmid meat for nno f hcr season. 'Whether they would *have done so is, of course, another matter . "Stinkinfl Fish." "I do think, however, that it is bad policy to speak as Mr. Poison did about unr mtat* Tjeing in such bod condition that nobody'would buy it. J That is the Ktinking fish cry wit'h a vengeance, and it is incorrect. A 6mall proportion which had been ioo long 15' our stores went Mouldy, but pot one such carcass was allowed to leave New Zealand. Our meat is next to British-gtwn in the estimation of both the trade and consumers, and there is nothing to .be sained, but a great deal to be lost, by statements to the contrary. The Commission. "As to the proposed commis=ion. when t'hb deputation of which Mr. Poison was

one asked for it, I replied as follows:'"With regard to the suggestion that you should send Homo a committee, so far as I am personally concerned", I thoroughly, agree with it. I think it would be a splendid tiling to do. It would give you a lot of information, and allow of 5m insight into the meat trade which you could not, possibly acquire on this sido of the world. I know you are not asking for payment of expense.-;, but that you should be given an official oosition, and I think my colleagues will agree with me that you should'have it.'

"Asked afterwards whether the Government would pay the expenses of the commission, I replied, yes, if necessary. and that we should endeavour to send Dr. Resilces, as his teclinical knowledge would be exceedingly useful. The names of Mr. Poison and M.r. David .Tones were suggested as two members nf the commission, along with Mr. Burrill. of Feilding, but Mr. P»lson met with an Accident and_ was laid urj for some time, while the friends of Mr. .Tones did him the honour, which lie well deserved, of Bending him to Parliament to look after their interests, Since then I have heard nothing from the fanners' organisations with regard to making other: arrangements.

I have just one other correction to make. Mr. Bennett stated I Bind said there would probably be 2.000,000 carcasses in store at the end of the season. What.. T said was- that here-would bo 2.000,000 carcasses so far as it was pos*sible to judge at the end of the year, just the difference between June 30' and December 31. I do not need to reneat tho whole of the figures, but I stand by what I said. ,

"We are now approaching the end of the commandeer: it commenced ill 1915, and thouuh there have been many difficulties to contend with it lias on tlio whole worked smoothly and my estimate is that when the whole of the commandeered products have hecn paid for tho amount will have been very little short of X 150.000.000. I can only say that in the opinion of unbiased men, very .often expressed to me, the arrangement was the best under the circumstances that it was possible to make. ("I wrote to Sir James Wilson, tho /resident of the. Board of Agriculture, and also of tho Farmers' Union, a few days ago, making certain suggestions with resard to the present position, and it may do some little good if your paper can find space for it. By the- way, tho Question of the proposed commission is, I am riven to understand, coming up for consideration at a conference to be held this month.

'So far as the Govermtent is concernjd there is nothing to cover up in connection with any of theso. transactions, and I shall be glad to givo full particulars at any time."

FIRST THINGS TO BE DONE

WORDS OF ADVICE.

Lpllowine is tho text of Mr. Massey's lotiur to Sir James Wilson (chairman of the Board of Agriculture):—

February 3, 1020. Dear Sir James,—As you have no doubt seen in tho Press, the Government has been officially'advised that tho Imperial Government's commandeer in respect of New Zealand meat and wool will terminate on Juno 30 next. In these circumstances it will bo necessary for representative nroducers and tho Government to set about making arrangements as soon after the date as possible, so that operations will bo able to bo carried on without anv unnecessary difficulty when the new season begins. lam strongly impressed with the advisability of convenimr a representative conference from producers and freezing companies, in order that this important question may bo fully considered, and I shall ho glad if the Board of Agriculture will initiate matters having this object in view. Perhaps you will bo so good as to bring tho matter at an early date beforo the board, and communicate to me your sugeestions.

This leads mo to another important subiect, in connection with which I invito the careful consideration of the board. You will probably have noticed that a deputation of Wairarapa farmers waited upon mo last week to discuss a number of matters, probably the most important of which being that of transportation, or, in other words, tho question of securing a sufficient supply of shipping space at reasonable, rates to carry their products to the markets of the world. The subject is one of/great importance to the Dominion, and reatiires to bo dealt with calmly and with full and careful consideration. I was somewhat disappointed with the report of mv remarks in this connection as they appeared in the newspapers, and tho condensed account of this portion of the interview did not, I am afraid, give a thoroughly correct impression of what was said.

In tho course of my reply I pointed out that tho first thing to bo done was to get tho cool stores cleared of tho large fiuautities of Imperial meat waiting for ships to carry it to British markets, but while that was being done, arrangements should bo made to take up the business at tho stage where it was interrupted in March, 1915, by. the arrangement then made between the British 'Government and tho New Zealand Government for the sale of the Dominion's meat to the former, and that it seemed to mo tho first step was to see what could bo tlono with the shipping companies trading between this country and Britain. Are they prepared to carry our products at a fair and reasonable rate? If so, well and good. If not, then let us do what under the circumstances seems to be tho next best course, and I think a strong committee, should he set up to look after the interests of the producers, consisting of the Board of Agriculture and lepresentativc men from the Farmers' Unions, the A. and P. associations, and the freezing companies. I have some-

times heard it said that farmers are not business men, but I ust say that i 9 not my experience. Where their own interests are concerned, there arc 110 keener moil, lull: I must: say Unit tlii-: ij whom I am thinking could hold their own with the representatives of the shipping combines, or the Moat Trust, oi' any of tlio other great organisations of which have heard so much. Lot tlio matter bo left in their hands to negotiate, along with a representative or representatives of tlio Government. If a satisfactory agreement cannot bo arrived at, anil if it becomes necessary to put additional ships in the trade, then the Government will assist lo (lie full extent of its ability. Personally, I think it' anything is done in this way the producers should at least bo part owners, because if such an undertaking is to lie a success, it will require all tlio support it is possible to obtain, and must bo managed upon thoroughly business-lilce find systematic lines. If it is left to bo financed and managed by the Government, then the Development Fnnd will bo seriously interfered with, and this will happen—contending parties -will seekto outbid each other for political support. AVo had some experience i,f this sort of thing not long ago, and the result would be ft constant reduction of freights and passenger fares until the balance-sheet show a loss. Th.is _ could part either by guarantee or by talcing up shareholders wcro producers, anxious for the welfaro of tlw company in which part of their capital was invested. If it becomes necessary to start such an vndertaking, tlio Government will do its imrt either by guarantee or by bikini up a proportion of the shares—whichever may he decided upon—but we must do our business as sensible business men, thinking not only of our own interests, but of tlio greater interests of the Dominion as a whole. If we act in tliia way and pull together with our full strength, there Deed be no fear of exploitation from any trust" or combine. ' I am quite sure you will appreciate the very great importance of the subject, and I shall be glad to meet representative men to discuss the position at any suitable opportunity.—Yours Miieerely, (Signed) W. F. .MASSE V. Sir James Wilson, Bulls.

IS IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT BLUFFING?

THE VOICE OF SUSPICION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wanganui, February i. A correspondent who has just returned from England writes to the "Herald," saying that the Imperial Government is dumping Argentine and Brazilian meat into England ever since the armistice, and he points out that the glut is timed exactly with the removal of the commandeer. "We are to be panicked into letting Britain resume the commandeer, which is one 'of the biggest bluffs ever worked on our loyalty and forbearance." The writer states: ''The meat which England has been flooded with is almost uneatable, while ours is of high quality." The writer declares that thora never has been a shortago of shipping to justify the treatment meted out. England has had ample shipping to bolster up her interests in the Argentine, and also to open up fresh channels in Europe, and has also shipping lying idle in her docks. The contributor further declares that England has been the biggest meat trust of the war, and gave American firms preference to New Zealand.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER

A FEW CORRECTIONS. The telegram from Wanganui was referred to Mr. Massey yesterday. He said that from his own knowledge he could say that the statement that the Imperial Government was still bringing Argentino i'and Brazilian meat into England wis contrary to fact. "This man says," Mr. Mnssey continued, "that we are to be panicked into acceptance of tho lommanileci' for a further term. The answer to that statement is that the British Government has of its own volition given notice that the commander is to bo,stopped from June 30. As for tho statement that. England has given American firms preference as against New Zealand, I ' win only say that that is contrary to fact, and I can say this of my own knowledge. It vas quite true that meat was brought from tho United States at the time that the American troops wore coming over to Europe, and this meat was bought at a very much higher price, than that paid to the New Zealand producers, but otherwise nothing of the sort hero suggested has occurred. Men were at that time needed above all other requirements, and the ships which brought the men from America were used to carry meat also. I have never agreed that tho action of the British Government in pooling all this meat with tho lowerpriced meat from New Zealand and other Dominions, but that is another story altogether."