THE MEAT BOARD'S WORK.

Shannon News, 29 August 1924, Page 4

THE MEAT BOARD'S WORK.

EAT, MORE BEEP. ; ' Notwithstanding the continued «*•' tempts of the Meat Board to indue* the people to "eat more beef," tne industry appears to be still in a very unsatisfactory condition, judging by the rather heated controversy that haa been raging in the Wai'rarapa. Everybody connected with beef has had something to say—the man who grows the beef, the man who sells itv and the selling. The Bequel was a meeting of over a hundred farmers, at which the various viewpoints were stated and a course of action decided upon. The vice-chairman of the Meat Board (Mr W. Perry) traced the operations of the Board over the last two years. He said that the more-beef campaign had resulted in the abattoir killings in beef increasing by 18,000 carcases, and calves by 11,000, sheep and lambs, decreasing by'37,000 carcases. A comparison of the beef exportß of New Zealand and Argentine showed that the latter 1 sometimes in two weeks shipped as much beef to the Continent as 'New Zealand did In the whole season. He read an extract from a letter received from Mr D. Jones, chairman of the Board, who is at present in London, stating that beef was in heavy supply, and a new record had been established at Sniithfleld by Argentine chilled. His Board would institute an "eat more beef" campaign again this season, in an-endeavour to dispose of the surplus. The Board would also investigate the possibility of opening up a market in Java, as recently suggested by a visitor to New Zealand. CHASING A RAINBOW.

One speaker asked that the- Meat Board be instructed to estimate the amount of beef eaten . annually in New Zealand, to issue monthly reports in the various districts showing the percentage of meat eaten, and the amount necessary to be eaten for the economic handling of the country's resources. The mover said this would put into "operation the machinery used by the Imperial Food Control Board during the war, but on a voluntary basis. - If the necessity for eating more beef was regularly brought before the public, something might follow. Th e cry had- been for more production as an inexhaustible supply of wealth, but the majority of the North Island beef growers had chased the rainbow and crashed, for they had produced more cattle than they could do with. Hundreds of thousands more calves and lambs were expected this month, yet the pastures could not be cleared of grown cattle. The most sensible solution was a determined regulation of the 'killing of cattle; and sheep for local consumption for the next three years. The Meat Board figures showed that if s'per cent, more beef and 5 per cent, less mutton were eaten, it would mean the annual con- : sumption of 12,680 more head of cattle, and save for export not less fihan 110,970 sheep, besides permitting further growth of wool., This economic gain, could' be brought; about by each person consuming beef instead of mutton on one more day m 20, but so many people resent apparent coercion, even though in tiheir own interests, that it was essential that the scheme should be a voluntary one, to undertaken by the Meat Producers' Board.

SOME HOME TRUTHS. One speaker felt called upon to de--1 fend the retailers, and in doing: so said one or two things that) hurt the beef growers. He declared that the Argentine had captured the beef tiade through a study of tho markets, in th« breeding of quality, and in early matured beef. He challenged the farmers to deny that In the last two years they had not received ' high prices for lambs'and fat sheep. He quoted instances of lambs up to 32/, and fat wethers to 35/. During th« war remarkable prices were, realised for fat sheep and cattle, and even today some farmers were getting up to £l2 and £l4 for prime oxen: Badlybred cattle was half the cause of the producers' trouble, added to the fact that many farmers crushed their yearlings by turning them out on tb the , hills to starve. If the farmer followed j America the principle of feeding their yearlings during the winter on supplementary fodder, they could then turn thejtn out in the spring, and get their bullocks away to marketi fat at three years old, instead of four and five. He criticised the farmers for their policy when they had too much money. Not content with their own farms, they bought up their neighbours' farms at inflated prices. Overhead expenses had increased enormously, making higher prices inevitable. ,!,.'•