NEW ZEALAND MEAT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4942, 22 February 1926, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND MEAT.

BRITISH RETAIL PRICE TOO HIGH.

ASSISTING IMMIGRANTS.

“Something has- got to be. done, to see .that consumers get New Zealand meat when they ask foi* it,’ said Mr R. G. Ellis, Conservative member for Wakefield (Yorkshire), when discussing the retail price of imported meat in England with a, reporter recently. “Considering the whole position, there is -no reason why the. retail price of New Zealand meat, should not be less- than it is. There is absolutely no control, and unless some-, thing is done in the near future it is going .to be difficult to get the working people to take much interest in Imperial..preference. Obviously the, most important part of control, of the selling of New Zealand meat would be to <see that the price to the cohsumei was reas.ona.ble, compared with what the middleman is paid. The Food -Councils of the present British Goyt ernment has, taken the matter up, but the trouble, is .that it has no> statutory power to compel reasonable charges,” ; Mr Ellis was of opinion that those interested in the export of New Zealand produce nqw had an opportunity to devise .some scheme, if possible, of control Of the middlemap so, as to prevent excessive prices. This, to his mind, was the crux of the .whole situation, and it would be useless to proceed further with propaganda urging the people to buy New Zealand meat unices some such action was taken. .

Asked as to the position of unemployment in England, 'Mr EUis said that there were between .10,000 a,nd 12,000 fewer unemployed this year than la.st, but the bulk ,of this was due to ’lack of emigration. .

. “And what is your; opinion:: of ..the New Zealand scheme for assisting immigrants?” asked the reporter. . “Your public, schoolboy part of it is extraordinarily good,” Said, Mr fllliis-, ‘‘and I am told that, there has not been one case of failure recorded. Everything is being .done in/England to extend it, but the , boys must be got young enough., The idea of/group settlement, is, good, provided several; familieis- from, one id eality could be induced to , come out and /take up land in the same district. The system of bringing individuate does not work Very satisfactorily, for the individual feels it very much when his habits of thought' and ways of life are abruptly changed.” . , Mr El,Us said' that one sign that was, not hopeful was the decreasing number of people going into the producing trades, such as iron, steel, and coal, and the increasing employment* in the . sheltered traded, such as 'clerks, shop assistants, municipal emr ployees, and general labourers.. “This is a disquieting sign, for. it has to.be remembered that England has) got to live out of, the profits of her foreign 'trade.”' , '■ </' ■■ ' ‘