MEAT AND SHIPPING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3341, 20 November 1919, Page 4

MEAT AND SHIPPING.

The Prime’ Minister is urging uponl farmers and freezing companies -the‘ advisability of consenting to their‘ meat being commandeered by the Iln—i ‘p€l'ial Government for n.llothel' year‘ from June next. While beliving that; ‘farmers were entitled to an vuntrani-'l melled free market we have consistently stated that the colllmalldeel' should be extended for another year, ‘because we fancied we saw unmistake'a.b'le in-I dications that men who manage to control the “Meat Control,” in Britain were successfully engineering a condition that was inimieal to the idea of a free, open. market for this coun—try’s meat. In the Dominion trust‘ sympathiselrs are doing their utmost] to ‘bring about the commandeer; they areproclaiming the opinion that large} quantities of meat and wool will be, carried over, in store ‘here, into the! next season. They are probably quite correct; it is what they have strivenu for, and farnicrs and freezing V, companies cannot afford to refrain from‘ accepting the extendcd.re.quisition of! their meat, as in doing so they would merely be “cutting off their noses to spite their faces.” From time to time‘ the Premier has stated that the vol—{ nine‘ of shipping is increasing, and that shipping conditions are improving,‘ but‘ he has a (lisconeertingpeskinessQ oofiinterlarding his good news with statements that neutralise its virtue. ‘There. are so many dcpelident “ifs” that one becomes confused {by the] cloudiness -they create], but his latest? publication may be taken as diselosingi the real and true position regarding! New Zealand meat, and it would have‘ been as well if he had frankly stated it was so. He now says, “If New; Zealand sought a free market when; Australia and the Argentine had sold their exportable surplus, the shipping position might become very difl"lcult.”N It will be noted that this latest state-3 ment discloses the fact that all pre-, vious statements about improved‘ ship—} ping were little more than guesswork; ‘ that no shipping fixtures had actua~l ally been arranged, but that" ships? would follow where it paid best to lift? ’thc,lncat.‘t It is apparent, however, that this discloses the situation, and in their own ‘best interests New Zealand meat-growers cannot avoid selling their produce to the Imperial Gov-* lernment for another year. Mr Massey now says that “shipping is the crux of the whole question,’;’ but it is not ,understandable that he has not previously realised this and taken defin-‘ tite practicable steps to save a country ;likc this from the clutches of shipping ‘combines. He states frankly that t“the market. for the meat would be easy to find,” but those markets are so Lnany sour grapes, the conl'bine has [the shipping, and to save their meat .t‘a.rmers are virtually forced toAcOIISODt to an extension of the commandeer. We venture to say that had the New Zealand Govcrnnicnt purchased a similar number of ships as were secured by the Government of Australia. ‘they would have been more than paid for by the increased price that would ‘have been forthcoming. Mr Massey lsays, the free, open, profitable mar-k Icfs ‘arc tlrerc, easy to find, but there is no shipping. The G-isborne fal'mel's have realised the true state of things, and out of sthcir own pockets have Purchased a ship to ensure their meat reaching the market at its tide, while all other farmers are compelled to take markets at their ebb. Like Micawbcr farmers and Governmeiit are apparenvtly waiting for something to turn ‘up. Farm.er_s have so waited in the DB~St,".. consequently they have had toibe pleased-to receive less than half lthe price for their meat ‘than’ ‘the

BritishVGovernmcnt has paid to farmers in Alien countries for theirs, how much longer will they wait for something to turn up‘? «