THE MEAT QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1915, Page 6

THE MEAT QUESTION.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. MR. MASSEY'S STATEMENT. (By Telegraph.—Special to Daily News.) PaJmerston North, Last Night. The committee appointed waited on the Premier to-day. Messrs Hawken and Lysnar were the speakers. They spoke on the lines of the previous evening, emphasising that farmers were »ot grasping after more money.

The Premier said the matter was a simple one. An attempt had been made by the Meat Trust to exploit the British Government over the supply to the army, and to exploit the British public. The Board of Trade had accordingly turned to New Zealand and other States, and had commandeered meat. Though not perfect, the experiment had worked well. He noticed that no one expressed dissatisfaction at the price received. Beef was used for the army, whilst mutton and lamb were placed on the market to keep down prices. Regarding the shortage of .tonnage, it had been necessary to commandeer ships for the Argentine bacause the British Government at first undertook to supply meat for the Allies. Now the French Government undertook its own supply The outlook for ships was very good this year; moreover, they were starting with stores practically empty, and also with eleven new works accommodating an additional million carcases. He pointed out that it now cost 2 l-9d to place on the market as against iy a d before tfye war. The Board of Trade had increased the freight 40 per cent., but did not ask the producer to pay this, and additional ■ cost of storage accounted for some discrepancy of the price. The British Government were satisfied that speculators had been eliminated, all agents were acting in good faith, and there were no unreasonable profits. The surplus was being put through the agents who had previously done tne business, and when the war ended the trade would go back to the old channels. There was an impression that farmers were not getting the price to whioh they were entitled. Wether mutton was 4%d in July, before that 3%d; lamb, s'/ 2 d and 3%d respectively; beef, 4%d and 215-lfid.

He did not say the increase was justified, but he did say it was a fair one. He did not think the producer could expect more. Since March 3, when the arrangement started nearly £6,000,000 worth of meat had been exported; 6,894,099 carcases had ben exported, as increase of 1,666,66*2; and eighty-five steamers had been loaded, as against 81 the previous year. He had been afraid that the Home Government would tell us they did not intend to continue the present arrangement, and if it came to an end before the war ceases we would be faced with a shortage of ships, because the Imperial Government would not continue commandeering for the benefit of any particular State, and ships would go where the best price offered.