DOMINION MEAT TRADE.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 January 1919, Page 5

DOMINION MEAT TRADE.

SHIPMENTS TO ENGLAND

PROPOSALS FOR NEXT YEAR.

CHEISTCHUECH, Dec. 31

According to present arrangements, the Imperial purchase of the Dominion meat output is to expire -within three months from the declaration of peace. So far 7 no official announcement has been made whether this contract will be renewed, but a communication which has been received by exporters from the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Acting-Minister in charge of tho Department of Imperial. (Supplies, suggests an entirely new scheme which would place producers within the British Empire at an advantage over foreign rivals. The Minister's advice to exporters states that a telegram has been received from the High Commissioner as follows : "The Australian and New Zealand section of the Incorporated Society of Meat Importers has requested me to telegraph you, giving details of proposals which they are placing before the Imperial Government, and, fthey request (that such proposals should be submitted to producers with a view to ascertaining whether they meet with their approval. They contend that the action suggested should reduce the menace of the trust." Tho provisions include:—

(1) Contracts to be made between the Imperial Government and meat works in various parts of the world, ensuring shipment to Great Britain of a stipulated percentage of outputs. This is 75 per cent, in the case of the Empire, and 60 per cent, in the ease of British-owned foreign meat works. The Imperial Government would not purchase the meat, but would pay subsidies to producers of |d and 1-Sd per lb, respectively. No subsidy is to be given in the ease of any foreign-owned meat. (2) All meat is to be consigned and handled by a member cr members of an association of British importers, consisting lof (those British firms which operated prior to 1914, and have since been nominated, and, also of any other approved British firm, and this association will be responsible for the collection and distribution of the subsidy.

(3) Dumping is to be prevented by the Imperial Government purchasing at current rates any foreign meat sold continually at less than cost. (4) There is to be a general Government supervision, but an individual freedom of action will be retained by each member of the association, members being at liberty, as before, to undertake) c.i.f. or consignment busi ness

The Minister has asked exporters to furnish him with their views on the proposals. Local exporters of frozen meat express their opinion that if some form of,open market, such as is suggested in the High Commissioner's cable message, is provided, it is probable that much higher prices than are being obtained under the present arrangement would be likely to rule, due to the demand for food for faminestricken Europe. Despite the absence of matters of detail in connection with the proposed scheme, some exportrs are inclined to favour it as being likely to rule, due to the demand for food for famine-stricken Europe. Despite the absence of sevreal matters of detail in connection with the proposed scheme, some exporters are inclind to favour it as being likely to be. more satisfactory than the existing arrangement. It is considered unlikely that the new scheme, if adopted, would operate during the sason which is now opening, and which terminates about the middle of 1919. It is pointed out that under such conditions approaching those existing in pre-war times it would take a year at least to Transport the carcases at present in store.

% According to a cablegram from London, dated November 20. which was published in the Australia press the Meat Importers' Society suggests that Australian and New Zealand meat should be freed of Government control simultaneously with foreign —at the latest in September, 1019. Refrigerated tonnage firstly should be allocated to Imperial products, but in order to ensure ample supplies from other sources, a bonus of id per lb. should be granted to the Empire's meat works, and 1-Sd for foreign British owned works, on condition that the former allocate 75 per cent, of the output and the latter 60 per cent, to a B'ritish asssciation. embracing the entire British import trade. It is believed that the United Kingdom will thus be assured of nearly 800,000 tons of meat annually, at a cost of £1.000,000 bonus. The sebeme is "all-British," including production shipping, finance, and distribution.