The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1916. THE NEW MEAT AGREEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 30 October 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1916. THE NEW MEAT AGREEMENT.

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Post and Waimarino News).

A compact has been entered into between New Zealand farmers and the British Government fixing the price of meat for the duration of the war, and for six months after peace is declared, Meat growers are to receive seven-eighths of a penny per pound over and above the amount they received last year for all classes of mutton; a farthing per pound extra for beef; class seven lamb is to be sevenpence halfpenny per pound, and class eight lamb six and three-eighths. The prices arranged are satisfactory and a tolerably fair reflection of the mar ket; they are what New Zealand farmers are entitled to, not from a bargain driving point of view, but because all other parts ,of the world received those prices, or thereabouts, during the whole of last meat season. It is much to the credit of farmers that they are not clamouring to know why they were so obviously unfairly treated; why they were placed at such a disadvantage as compared with Argentine, Australia and other meat

countries. They placed themselves in the hands of the Imperial Government, and it was undoubtedly the bounden duty of the Home authorities to see that they did not suffer from such a demonstration of patriotism. It is not presumed that the British Board of Trade reaped any benefit, if it had, there is ample evidence to show that farmers would have raised no complaint, but some persons profited dishonestly to the extent of about a million of money. This brings the question to the crucial point, is the possibility of exploitation entirely removed in the new arrangement? When the agreement is definitely made it should be understood that any such exploitation as obtained throughout the last season should, if desired, render it void. It will bo intensely interesting to know the details of the scheme; whether the meat not wanted for the army is to be hand ed over to Robinson and Nelson, the Meat Trust men, because, if it is, New Zealand farmers are helping to \miia up a meat "Prussianism" that they will one

day have to fight or become"" its slaves. These men will work to build up a power that, when war is over, will be difficult to overthrow; free shops may be opened in Britain, but we cannot produce at the price these men can get meat jt'rom their farmers who are as much under their heel as the common German soldier is under the heels of his war lords. After the war it will be found almost impossible for the British Government to take a hand in fighting these capitalist meat vultures; the time is now, and not a day should be lost in urging on a campaign for the entire elimination of trust methods. Satanic subtleties will be practiced and doubts will be insinuatingly raised to keep the hold the trust already has. The British Government would be able to render assistance now, but procrastination would be fatal. While the new agreement is under consideration is the time to get a full and clear understand ing about how the arrangement is going to work out, not only for the present, but how it will leave our chief industry when war is over. There should be no selling of the future; the trust will submit to having their filching proclivities clipped for the time they scent danger so long as it can continue building a power and massing forces to take part in the after-war arrangements, when Governments will be very much at the mercy of money bags. It is dangerous to place unquestioning confidence in any one man, or set of men. We have it demonstrated that Sir Thos. Mackenzie was helpless while New Zealand farmers were being literally taken down for a million of money, and no other man, who has not the whole force or meat industry at his back, can hope to do better. Besides what farmers ire contributing day by day to patriotic funds" it may be fairly said that they contributed a million last year, and although that million was dishonestly taken by meat trusts it was not the fault of the men who patriotically placed themselves in the Empire's hands; they did not get the money which they were morally entitled to. All shades of politics have now experienced meat trust methods, and everyone is, or should be, convinced that it is of vital importance that the only thing for every farmer to do is to be loyal to his industry first. Many may not realise the danger ahead, and they may even think we are a little premature in discussing it as we are doing, but we have ample evidence of what has taken place in other lands. Some farmers would, possibly, not believe that the trust in some localities can turn a man out of his farm as easy as they can turn a cat out of their k

chen. The farm may have been paid cash for, but the farmer cannot sell anything off it because the trust controls the markets. We console ourselves by saying such .conditions can never obtain' here. Other countries did the same that are now the slaves of trust methods. The British Empire is facing and fast approaching a great unknown —a time when no man knows what conditions will prevail. There will be political and other convulsions, and not a man on earth can approximately estimate the outcome. Whaz ,New Zealand is concerned about is to see that her great industry is not enslaved by trusts.