THE MEAT TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1919, Page 4

THE MEAT TRADE.

EXTENDING THE COMMANDEER, THE SHIPPING POSITION. PEEMIER'S IMPORTANT STATEMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Lost Nighi An important statement recommending that the meat commandeer should be ex-. tended for another twelve months, *sd outlining the shipping position generally, was made by the Prime Minister in an address before the fanners' Union Conference to-day. Mr. Massey said he had read with a good deal of interest the discussions at the conference. He had hoped this y«a* the Government would be able to reduce taxation, but, as the financial statement next Tuesday would show, that was impracticable. However, he thought the time had arrived for the complete reorganisation of the system of taxation. He trusted he would have an op* portunity to do that next year. AftSr condemning the system of party polities, Mr. Massey dealt With the proposal to send a commission Homo to Inquire into the marketing conditions of meat. He anticipated 38 ships would leave New Zealand between September 1 and the end of November, and that that number would lift 2,720,000 carcases. That would leave in the stores on December 1 4,233,056 carcases. He thought that at the end of December there would still be four million carcases in store in the Dominion. During the first six months of the new season it was likely that 6,500,000 carcases would be added, making a total of 10,500,000 to be 1 lifted in the next twelve months. It was impossible to say what proportion would be lifted, but he thought a greater portion Would go away, leaving perhaps two or three million carcases. As to the extension of the commandeer, he had a free mind, and was willing to assist the producers to carry out any decision they might arrive at. If they asked for his personal opinion he would say that the safest course would be to ask the Imperial authorities to attend the commandeer for a further period of twelve months. In answer to a question, Mr. IMssey Baid he did not anticipate that the price under the extended commandeer wobld be increased. The Prime Minister outlined the efforts he had made to impress upon the Imperial Board of Trade the fOious position in which New Zealand Was placed. He had also been informed by the High Commissioner that the Imperial authorities now had no contracts 1 With the meat companies in North Aae/ica and had ceased to purchase meat from that quarter. However, negotiations were being carried on to extend too eontracts with the South American republic* for a further year. That was important in view of the possibility that New Zealand would ask for an extension of the commandeer. Regarding the pooling of New Zealand meat with* that from America, he did not regard as satisfactory the explanations which had been given. "There is nothing wrong with the outlook as far as I nm able to judge," said Mr. Massey. He did not think the war prices would continue, He would be glad to learn from the fanners what they had decided to do in regard to the further requisition. Asked why he favored the commandeer, Mr. Massey stated he anticipate! that there would be some difficulty in going back on the market after such a long period. It would also get over the difficulty of shipment. It was only reasonable to expect that shipping would increase, and that at the end of another period of twelve months the stores would be empty. He thought it would be much easier to deal with the position at the end of June, 1941, than at the | end of June, 1920. 1 Beplying to another question, Mr. Massey said he had had no reply to his question as to whether the Imperial Government would We prepared to extend the commandeer, but in view of negotiations with South America he assumed, and thought he was safe in so doing, that there would be no difficulties. To other questions Mr. Massey' said he thought it would be unwise at ta« present juncture for the 'Dominion to secure its own ships for the carriaf* of produce. In connection with the shipping difficulty a movement had been initiated at Home from which he expected important results. It was to set up an Imperial Shipping Committee, which would control the whole of the colonial shipping, flxijng freights and fares, allowing a fair'profit to owners of ships, but preventing anything in the way of exploitation. He had been assured by the .head of the British Government that thai scheme would be gone on with.