The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1920. SHADY PROSPECT FOR MEAT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3407, 11 February 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1920. SHADY PROSPECT FOR MEAT.

With which izs incorpL:;atcnl “The Taihape Post. and Waimarino News.’-'

The shortage of shipping in New Zealand is a matter of real concern to farmers that nobody will deny; it is admitted in every quart.er that there is cause for doubting whether there will be a sufficient clearance ‘hf meatstorage as to .pel-mri-t killing to proceed uninterruptedly. Most people know what this country would suffer were farmers compelled to carry on their «pasturage the animals that should find -their way into freezing works; good and plentiful as feed may be -there is not a sheep farm in the country that would not become unpayable. It is fully realised that sheep and cattle keeping beyond what is required for home consumption is impracticable, and freezing Works are useless unless a.mple shipping is available and can he depended upon to get our produce away. Farmers have unhappily experienced that ships promi.sed and allotted to New Zealand have been diverted to other places for other *pui;po«ses; that there is at far greater accumulation of meat both in Britain and in New Zealand than the Premier had led them to believe "there would be; that Mr Massey denied there was congestion in British storage, and then confined his remarks to London storage while cables, public and private, make it undeniably ‘clear that there is congestion of meat everywhere in Britain, in provinces as well as in London. Not only are ‘stores full but a cablegram received ‘and published yesterday states definitely that congestion extends to ships in the river. There are on the water, at the London Docks, two hundred and ten vessel-sr awaiting removal of cargo; sixty-two thousand tons of ocean steamers lie in the river awaiting opportunity to unload It is also seen in English newspapers that there is such a crush of shipping in almost every port as to cause people to wonder what will happen if it is not got out to sea in some wnrore. ‘n.-s:’e.‘:“i‘-l capacity. There is not a world shortage of insulated ships, for there is more shipping -to-day than there was‘ before the war, and why there should he a, shortage for the New Zealand trade is not understandable. When Mr Massey stated there was no congestion of meat in London he probably thought he was stating correctly the situation; he has to depend upon reports as other people do. but it is abundantly clear that if New Zealand farmers desire to know that truth that will enable them to pl‘oVi(T€ against shipping rocks, congestion shoals and marketing gales, they imust have someone upon whom they can rely for information and guidance Fat the marketing and shipping centre. If Mr Massey receives his iniformation from the High Commission|9l"S Ofiice, no other proof is wanted that interests other than those of New ,Zealand are having prior consideration; that the Oflice is not filling the Purpose for which it was instituted and is paid for, and it has become "e°9sSal'Y that farmers themselves should send an independent commission to England to see that New zealand interests should not be further" neglected. or subordinated to any ‘other interests. Such a commission was appointed, ‘but Mr Massey did not give his sanction. for it to perform its

functions‘. There is some doubt in

Mr l\'lassey’s, mind whether the commission is suiiiciently representative», and whether it was a.ppojnl;ed by 3 body representative of the meat industry. How the Premier arrives at this opinion is -an enigma; he says somebody wrote to helm complaining that it was not a. representative body, but, we contend that in a case of this kind it was his duty to name the writer if he wished to make use of the letter. .How it can be for one moment claimed that the commission was neither represlentatiive nor appointed by a representative body is bewildering, and is certainly not complimentary to the Farmers‘? Union and the Sheepowners’ Federation, which two bodies selected the commission from amongst tlreiir own members. It‘ the Farmers’ Union and the Sheepbreeders’ Association are not representative of the meat growing indu.s‘tr_v, what in the name of everything holy are they representative -of? if EWO such ‘bodies -do not represent New Zealand producers, we say unhesitatingly that New Zealanders are not represented by any person or hotly, however much they may be misrepresented. The men the Farmers ’U:<lion and the sheep-owners selected to go Home on their behalf were_. Dr RF::lli.es. Russell Jones, M.P., and Mr Wimsell, and it seems very do-übtful indeed Whether three more capable men could be found available. .Bu.-3:, for some reason Mr Massey would not permit these men to leave on their mission; he has taken the responsibility of preventing the wishes of the farmers and sheepowners of this Dominion being carried out, and what is the result? No doubt Mr Massey felt sure the meat commandeer wouid be renewed, and that the supply 05’ shipping would be an Imperial Government affair, and he put all his; 2-aids upon his opinions; but.’ no process of reasoning could justify him in plzevjng the whole producing incluatry into such a position that it is not only menaced with great loss, but Ls utterly unable to help itsani-'. Winingly or unwiittingly it ::ppHal'g 'IS though the meat indus-‘.l-y is being lrd like a lamb to the slaughter. If there should be any attempt to keep meat prices down to their present level, and there is cause for thinking some such effort will be made, it will be because the meat growers’ business has been grossly mismanaged either here or in London. The meat industry of this little country is overshadowed with suspicion, secrecy and subtlety, and it should not be. There is either shipping, or there -is not available shipping; it is known there is ample shipping, but it is not available for New Zealand meat, butter and cheese, why isn’t hit? Then there is either storage congestion or there is not, Mr Massey still contends there is not while all evidence points to not only storage being packed, but ships in hundreds lay out on the water in ports awaiting room to store their cargoes ashore, why does: Mr Massey stilt persist there is no block in storage? “He believes there is an organised movement to cafuse friction between New Zealand producers and the Imperial Authorities with 3. view to allowing the Trust to get a footing in Britain,’-’ with what object did the Premier make this: statement? Surely the tailioa policy, the pacific policy pursued by New Zealand cannot be claimed as a deterrent to Trust operations? While New Zealand is doing nothing the Trust is feverishly busy, and that is what is troubling the Farmers’ Union and the Sheepowners’ ‘Conference members who appointed 3 ‘commission to go Home to do something’. If Mr Massey had been willing. as he stated, that a farmers’ commission should go Home, why did he not raise his objections to the DBl‘ sonnel of the commission at the time? _He has allowed a year, a year fraught 'with the greatest consequences to meat producers. to slide by and now says somebody has written to him complaining that the commission is not repre»sentative of the industry. It is apparent that it is decreed that this farmers’ commission shall not be allowed to go Home to look afterytliis country’s meat interests. Mr Massey objects to the commission selected. and it seems that under these circumstancos it would be very difficult to select one that would fill the Premier’s requirements. In one breath we are told that the Trust would give anything to get a footing in New Zealand, and in the next breath he says the Trust is in New Zealand operati-ng under another name. Is it not apparent that the Premier iis not happy in the meat marketing role? He states that no expense shall stand in the way of a commission going Home, but What satisfaction is thatto farmers while he refuses to allow that commission to gowhich the Farinersr’ Union and the Sheepowners’ Confer. ence have selected and appointed? Producers have an obstacle of ppodi. gious dimensions to get past, and that difliculty is made immensely greater because it is impossible «to get an understanding of the true nature of the obstacle without sending a farmers’ commission Home. and that com-

mission the Premier will not allow to

leave. Farmers are in the hands of their Prime Minister, or -at the mercy of the Trust, or both. They have to make their peace with the shipping combine as best they can.