Return to Farmers for Meat

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 2, 3 January 1940, Page 2

Return to Farmers for Meat

MR. NASH EXPLAINS Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Jan. I. Camplaints by Mr W. J. Poison, M.P., about the difference between the price paid for New Zealand meat by the Imperial Government and the return to the farmer here were replied to at the week-end by the Minister of Marketing, Mr W. Nash. Speaking at Stratford, Mr Poison quoted his own experience, and said that he had complained to the chairman of the Meat Board that the price received for lambs by the farmers was unreasonable and the charges deducted by the freezing companies exorbitant and far beyond the necessities of the case. For this he blamed the Minister of Marketing.

Mr Nash said that his answer wa i hat he had nothing to do with thi fixing of freezing and allied charges. They were arranged by the Meat Board in consultation with the freezing companies, but the Government had reserved the right to audit the books of freezing companies and to satisfy itself as to the basis of the charges made. “If Mr Poison would ascertain the facts before making his statements to the Press,” said Mr Nash, “he would not so often be astray. The arrangements in connection with the purchase of stock from the farmers were made by the Meat Board and the freezing companies. “My work on behalf of the Government was confined to buying meat from the freezing companies, from operators or from farmers who exercise the right to send in stock on their own account. “If Mr Poison had consulted the Meat Board with regard to procedure and had asked the opinion of members of the board, he would have discovered that at the conclusion of their discussions with the freezing companies on procedure, at which I was not present, they came specially to thank me for allowing them in the main to determine the rules governing the relations of farmers and freezing companies, and the opinion of the members of the Meat Board was that competition between freezing companies would ensure the farmer the maximum return for his stock. “The Government’s policy is in accord with the expressed will of the farmers, which is not to take advantage of the war situation, but to ensure that Great Britain and the people of the Dominion shall obtain all commodities produced in the Dominion at reasonable prices. “If any section is taking advantage of the position, it is doing to in direct opposition to the policy of the Government, which will co-operate in every way with producers’ organisations to prevent such advantage being taken. This is apparently not what Mr Poison desires. He apparently desires to create discontent with the Government even although the particular issue he raises is in no way the responsibility of the Government.”