MEAT SUPPLIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5306, 30 July 1928, Page 3

MEAT SUPPLIES.

REGULATION OF SHIPMENTS POLICY OF PRODUCERS’ BOARD In tlie 6th annual report of tlte N.Z. Meat Producers’ Board, for the year ended June 30, 1928, .a, copy of which has just been received, the following article relating to thje, regulation of shipments, of meat to the United K'ing;dom appears “Ever since its inception, the policy of the board ha s been to keep ft steady

flow of meat going forward to the United Kingdom over the twelve months of the year, the intention filing not to hold back stocks in order to erfe-ate higher prices (with their consequent slump), but to have a continuity of supplies going forward, and thus keep up our; coninection, on the British market.

“The .advantage of keeping, up a continuity of supplies has already bfaetn referred to in the report of the Imperial Economic Committee, in which it pointed out that regularity and continuity of supply are most importapt factors in thfe attainment of success; on the British market.. The authority exercised by the board over shipments is probably the most valuable work it has undertaken, a.nd ntembei'S of the board are impressed with the immense gain this; has been to' the farming community of this Dominion. ,

“The board’s Lonjdon- manftgen is in close touch with the, market at Home and makes full use of thfe cables in keeping the board thoroughly posted as to the market conditions and prospects in the United Kingdom. Coupled with these advides the board receives regular reports from its representatives in other, meat-producing cojl'Djtries, and thus; uses every moans availably to guide it to a, sound judgment in this most important work. “With each succeeding year, bringing' with it’new and varying tflade' conditions, the board is more than ever con,firmed in its conviction that there must always be some central authority entrusted with the necessary powers to undertake' this important duty and thus prevent our produce being shipped in a haphttzaUd manner, which can only result in violent fluctuations in, prices instead of the stability which is 'in the interests of all concerned.

“Having in view the fact that we were likely to have a larger output of lambs this season, .also the bare state of the Home market, and the prospects of shorter supplies from Australia, owing to drought, the board decided to ship larger quanti.ttes of lambs earlien in the season, so as to fill this gap, and accordingly made provision with the shipping compagi'es for additional tonnage. The judgment of the board in this .matter has turned out to be correct, for to-day, although our killings of lamb this season are. largely in- of any previous year, we have less lambs in store in New Zealand to s'hip than we had at this time last y®at, and there artless lambs in, store in Great Briita.in. T.h;e- board’s action in ; this matter, has shown that the market has; been able to absorb an increased quantity of New Zealand meat, this year, as will be seen by the returns of the London Central Meat Market, which show an increase of 1552 'tons of New Zealand mutton, and lamb for the first, four months of 1928, as compared with tlie same period last year.”