WHAT FARMERS ARE GETTING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 295, 24 July 1917, Page 1

WHAT FARMERS ARE GETTING.

Beef Versus Mutton Criticism by Mr G. V. PeflXCOj MT, Mr G. V. Pearce, W* speaking in the House of tatives on the meat probllm, said that the commandeered price in every case was under 6d per pound that wa3 not an excessive price ; and in mentioning that price he wanted to say that there was a feeling abroad that the farmers were getting extortionate prices. They are getting nothing of the kind. The farmers had agreed to sell for the term of the war and for six months after at the price he had mentioned. The prices were s]d for prime ox-beef and 57s 8d for prime wether-mutton. These are the prices arranged with the Home Government at the conference mentioned by the Ministei of Agri* culture. In his opinion that was not a very fair arrangement as regards prices, as he thought the price of beef should have been the same as mutton. The conference called by the Minister of Agriculture was unfairly constituted. He (Mr Pearce) represented in the House a district, extending from Wanganui to New Plymouth, where more cattle were grown than in any other district in the Dominion. At that conference Mr Okey, M.P., represented New Plymouth, and in addition to hitn there were only two chairmen -of freezing companies at Patea ajd Wanganui who did not represent the cattle-growers of that district, as ho was assured by the honourable member for Now Plymouth that he was the only one at the conference to raise his voice against the unfair price agreed to for beef. He understood that the only reason put forward why beef was treated unfairly as compared with mutton was that the Home Government claime i that it had made a contract with South America at a reasonably low price, and they did not want to put the price higher here. He did not think they had dealt fairly with the cattle-men as compared with sheep-owners. He understood that the Government had arranged to hand over meat to the butchers of the country at the samo price. He did not think under present conditions the consumer could be treated fairer than that. There had been a lot of objection taken in this House to the retail prices that had been got at Home for our lamb, when released to be put on the Home market. The price received by the farmer here was under 6d per pound, and the Home Government released it to the retail butcher at !Ud per pound after which it was retailed at Is to Is 10d p3r pound, the retail butcher pocketing the difference. He knew that the Government had approached the Home Government for an explanation. The explanation, he understood, was this, that the Home Government held that they had made a purely business transaction with New Zealand ; they bought the meat at the then market price, the price they offered was a fair price, and was accepted. He (Mr Pearce! did not think in respect to beef that it was a fair price. The statement had been often made that the farmers were not patriotic in wanting a fair price from the Home Government for their meat, but if they took less than the value they were not making a present to the consumer in the Old Country, but to the retail butcher, or, perhaps, the meat trust. Mr Wilford —How are we to get our meat here ?

Mr Pearce said it could bo got out of any freezing works at s}d for beef and o 7-Bths d. for mutton, wholesale. That, he believed, was the price. He did not know whether the consumer would be able to get one carcase at that price ; that was a question for the Government. An Hon. Member—They should be allowed to do that. Mr Peaice said that was a question for the Government to decide. The butchers of any town could get the meat, and he thought that was a very fair offer.