AN AMERICAN MARKET FOR MEAT.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 8 July 1920, Page 4

AN AMERICAN MARKET FOR MEAT.

The following leading article appeared in the Chris fcchurch Sun of May 28th :—lf the outlook for the meat producer were not serious, he would probably appreciate the humour of the situation which Mr Massey finds himself today in connection with the sale of meat to America. Prior to the election, when Mr Massey wanted the farmers' votes, it suited him to pose as tha protector of the producer against the alleged American Meat Trust. The farmer in five cases out of six being a credulous person, swallowed "bait, hook and sinker" the allegations the Government circulated about the big American meat distri-

surgeon who runs the Agricultural Department to prevent him from being eaten alive by the "Trust." To-day with the commandeer about to expire, and a glut of meat both in London and New Zealand, the Dominion is eagerly turning to the Americans, and unless they can absorb a large porportion of our surplus, it is difficult to scee | where it, will find a market at all. Mr Massey, who no longer sees any objection to our meat going to America, tries to save his face by saying that lie will not! allow the Americans to own j freeziug works in New Zealand. I So far the Americans have made j no attempt to do so. They have contented themselves with operating as buyers in competition with others in the trade, and the only effect of their presence here has been to ensure the farmer a better price for his stock. But after a careful study of the question, The Sun has come to the conclusion that Mr Massey's and Dr Reakes' objections to Amer-ican-owned meat works in New Zealand are just as short-sighted, stupid and futile as were their objections to the Americans coming into the market as buyers and exporters. With one or two exceptions, New Zealand freezing works are very inefficiently managed as compared with Araer- j ican packing houses, which by j their methods would and do make fortunes out of by-products that are wasted in New Zealand. The result is that the farmers are not ! paid nearly as much for their i stock as they ought to be paid, j j and as they would be if Amer- j j ican methods were adopted, i ; Yet, if the farmer had sufficient j j horse sense to investigate the | , question for himself, he would j find that he is being made the j cat's-paw of people, who. for i j business reasons, fear the com- ' ! petition of men who are more j capable and efficient than themselves. Accordingly they have worked on the farmers' fears by j telling them the yarn that if the Americans establish themselves ; jin New Zealand they will com- \ I bine to force down the price of I i meat on the hoof. The fact that. j they never havo tried to do so in i America, that to-day the American farmer is getting the highest prices for stock ever known lin the history of the pastoral i industry, and that the leading ' American packing houses work on a margin that would put some of" the New Zealand freezing companies almost into liquidation goes for nothing. The farmers have hitherto been content to believe what the Government and its veterinary adviser have told them, when instead of slamming the door in the face of the Americans they had everything to gain by opening it and saying, "Come right in" Now that shipments of meat are about to be made on an extensive scale to America, and that a new and most valuable market is about to be opened at a time when it is vital to the producer to find one, perhaps wiser and more rational counsels will j prevail, and the foolish fears the farmers-have entertained regarding American operators will be finally laid aside. Seeing how they have been misled by men who ought to have known better, it would not be out of place if the Producers' Conference passed a vote of want of conference in ! the Agricultural Department, and J recommended some drastic ! changes. When one considers I what an enormous sum the cou.i----i try spends annually on the AgriI cultural Department, it seems | rather unfortunate that its activities should have the effect of penalising the farmer and dis- ! couraging industry.