FROZEN MEAT TRADE

Taihape Daily Times, 11 January 1918, Page 4

FROZEN MEAT TRADE

DISTRIBUTION IN ENGLAND?*

EFFECT OF NEW METHOD.”^

The cable nows that the Food Controller in England has disturbed tho existing arrangements for the distribution and sale of New Zealand meat,, which is not required for the use of the armies, has been the cause of some little uneasiness locally. No definite information has yet been obtained by the Government as to the extent of the interference by the Food Controller in the arrangements which have previously been the concern of the Board of Trade. It is considered that if the existing agreement is not observed the New Zealand meat exporting companies will suffer by the loss of all their trade connections. When the Imperial moat purchase was arranged, it was well understood that there were certain classes of' meat exported from this country which would not be used for the armies or for 1 any war purpose, and that this meat i would be released for sale to British consumers. It was agreed that itt | proportion to the amount of meat %s- ---| ported by any firm a share of the ! moat to be sold should be handed 1 over for distribution to 'the public j through tho agents of the ' exporters , in this country. This has led to the 1 so-called “nomination” system, by 1 which meat operators and buying comj panics in New Zealand have directed i that any meat which they may be j entitled to have released to them shall j be handed over to persons nominated 1 by them in London.

The breaking of this arrangement will cause serious hardship to those* Xew Zealand concerns which have been maintaining their own selling organisations in Britain. It seems to be common ground that the existence of this agreement has been for the benefit cf the New Zealand producers, but there is also evidence that it was carried out in such a way that it was not a benefit to the British consumer. It has been observed as a fact that some operators in Kcw Zealand who have been nominating to firms at Homo with largo soiling organisations have been able to pay considerably more than the Government schedule prices for meat, such as lamb, which, is certain to be released for sale in England. Those operator's have to resell every pound of their meat to the Government , but they have been able, it has been said ,to make this small logs because they would always make profits on the sale of the moat in England. The Kow Zealand producer has: benefited by those circumstances, im that he has often received for hisstcck, end especially for lamb, a better price than that offered by the Government on behalf of the Imperial Board of Trade.

The first care of the Food Controller is presumably the welfare of the consumer in Britain and he may be taking action to -intercept 'some ’of the profits alleged to be made by the distributors of the meat already purchased by the Imperial Government: in the countries of origin.