The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1915. REQUISITIONED MEAT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 184, 13 April 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1915. REQUISITIONED MEAT.

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Post una Wnfanarino News.)

It was quite reasonable to assume that when farmers' meat was requisitioned by the Government for Imperial purposes they were entitled to know what they were to receive for it, but, strange to say, even at this late hour this information is not forthcoming. Farmers were expected to deliver their ■ stock and they ultimately found the prices published had to cover everything up to the ship’s chamber; a middleman stepped in between producer, freezing company, and Government, and rendered unintelligible the whole price question. Conferences of one character or another, have since been helff to endeavour to secure justice for the grower, and now we learn that prices for iamb have been agreed upon by representatives of farmers, companies, middlemen, and the Premier. This conference met last Saturday, and decided that the “over-all” price for lamb should be what it was previously. It is quite reasonable to assume that were it not for the determined attitude taken up by the whole of the newspapers of the Dominion in the producers’ interests the price would have been very much less. After all the conferring and writings in the Press farmers have only just been able to hold their own by getting the price they were originally receiving. Reports of meetings of branches of the Partners’ Union almost uniformly condemns the failure to avert speculation' in insulated shipping space, which is the bote noir, of tne whole question. Those who held no contracts with shipping companies were liable to be shut out and their stock could only be got away most disastrously to their interests. Through neglect of those who were responsible for allowing speculation in shipping space, producers do not know yet just what they are to get for their stock. The price question was not the only one the Farmers’ Union had to'deal with, and foremost among those who championed the farmers’ cause was Major Lusk. His union, ho said, did not believe in encouraging speculation in primary products under any conditions, much less when Government hacb decided to buy all frozen meat aschedule prices. Of course, the weaV point in the whole thing was that the Government’s scheme onry came In after the moat had been frozen and placed aboard the steamers. Payment for stock was a second sore point,

and It was only after a good deal of trouble had been taken, and the firm stand taken by farmers and tka Tress that the Government made arrangements for payments to be made on the presentation of documents to local banks. Now it seems likely that prices for requisitioned meat are to be, at least, on the same level'as previously; that farmers, although they are debarred from the operations of supply and demand, are not to be paid anything less, and that they are to receive payment practically on delivery. There still remains, however, the question — which might under certain circumstances prove a very disastrous one in this district now that heavy frosts are affecting the growth of feed —of getting their stock taken when it is in prime condition. If the Government will leave no stone unturned to see that those who have no participation in contracts for freezing space are not penalised, then there will be little to complain about.