The Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1942. Meat Miraculously Cleared

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 208, 1 September 1942, Page 4

The Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1942. Meat Miraculously Cleared

Just eighteen months ago the prospects for shipment of New Zealand’s primary products was dark indeed. Severe shipping losses had been suffered in the Battle of the Atlantic and some 7,000,000 tons of British and Allied shipping had gone to Davy Jones’s Locker. Conferences were called to determine what meats might be best sent in the limited space reckoned to be available and to solve the problem of surplus meats. And arising from such discussions, the refrigerated storage capacity of our freezing works was hugely expanded. Much thought had also to be given to the financial problems in view. Such discussions, plans and actions as were then taken were dictated by prudence. Yet, so miraculously has shipping improved, exceeding even the highest hopes, that the end of three years of war will see meat stocks actually at a low level—so low, indeed, as to give some concern as to filling space in ships expected here prior to the full flow of our new season’s meat killings. Early fat lamb drafts will provide the first of such meat, and this will not be available in substantial quantity for over three months. In view of this requirement, it would be a sensible course to re-introduce the pre-war customary premium for early lamb. Those drafting early would assist both the working of the freezing season and also the filling of November-December arriving ships. They require the premium to make up for weight lost by early drafting. At the opening of last season the Dominion’s prospective meat production was assessed at 350,000 tons. But Britain intimated her requirement as being only 275,000 tons. There appeared therefore on paper a surplus problem to handle 75,000 tons of meats. With every possible economy in sight—boning and so forth—there appeared still a nett surplus of 40,000 tons. And at the opening of last season there were present stocks of 78,000 tons. Thus had the 40,000 tons additional accrued as expected, there would have been at September 30, stocks totalling 118,000 tons of meat—a weight equal to one-third of a season’s killings. In place of that will be stocks of only 44,800 tons, reduced further by reservations of meats required for the Forces in the South Pacific area, so that the actual stock in sight for the close of the present season on September 30, will be only 23,000 tons—a light stock for any year of peace or war, at that date. For all practical purposes, therefore, we are opening a new season with stocks of old meat practically non-existent. The refrigerated storage capacity available now is capable of holding almost the total season’s output, and although it might be hoping too much altogether to expect again in the coming season such a volume of shipping as was available last season, there is still no cause for concern at the prospect. Besides storage capacity buttressing the industry, is tho prospect of greatly rising requirements here in the Pacific to feed the growing Allied forces In view of such a demand potential, the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes has justly called for “full speed ahead” in meat production. There is every reason to feel that such an effort will be required, not for this one season alone but for ail tho war years and those of the early post-war period at least. Having regard to a limitation of the number of meat animals ever imposed by Nature, it is clear that the increased output of meat is most speedily secured by raising to a maximum the weight of each animal killed. Just a lib. average increase per fat lamb would mean 5000 tons more meat in a season. More weight demands in turn more feeding. With less phosphates available there will automatically be less feed. To overcome that, there must be increased cropping wherever possible. Following this cycle, comes in turn the next vital need. More cropping means more labour, thus providing one more instance of the pressing need for a proper nation-wide survey of manpower requirements.