THE MEAT POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1919, Page 5

THE MEAT POSITION.

SHORTAGE IN OLD COUNTRY. SHIPPING AND FREE MARKETS. An interesting sidelight on the meat position in the Old Country is contained in a letter just received by a resident of TaTanaki from a brother living in England. "You needn't worry your mind about meat," the letter states. "There is a great scarcity here, and there w/ill continue to be, our herds are so depleted. It will take years to get them up again. Then there" is all the Continental demand. There will be a bigger call for frozen meat than ever there was before when shipping gets more normal and the Government take off all restrictions. That cutting you sent was all wrong about the glut of meat in England, and people not wanting even the small increase in the ration. Butchers are being fined every day for selling more meat than they should do. It is all a question o' shipping and free markets." j Accompanying the letter was the following extract from the Daily News of] September 10:—" *We are going to suffer th'i9 winter a meat shortage, which will be as bad as anything experienced during the war. In view of the probable lack of employment, its effect on the masses may be even more serious. It may easily involve, a return to legal-ly-enforced meatless days." This is the considered opinion of one of the most experienced meat traders in the country, who was interviewed yesterday bv a representative of the Daily News. Replying to a suggestion that this estimate appeared to be unnecessarily pessimistic, he said: It is not my opinion only; it is thaf of almost every man in the trade whose dealincs enable him to take a wide view. The figures of my own firm indicate a world shortage. Taking England alone, we have not much over 50 per cent of' our normal supplies of cattle. I doubt whether there is 40 per cent of our usual number of sheep. Pigs are down to the lowest percentage I have known for 25 years. It is true there are countries which are fairly well off because local customs and the incidence of distribution tell in their favor. But the world ' Bnpply is worse than ours.' 'What about the supplies of frozen meat.?' 'Our reports are that they will be,lower than ever before. That is why the masses of the people are likely to be so badly hit. Enemy countries are now clamoring for their share of these supplies, and the state of affairs in the shipping world is such that whereas we used to be the diimping-erround for frozen meat we are now likely to find it diverted to other countries.' *Do you think the Government will be able to meet the shortage?' They could only do it by buying heavily. But prices are sure to be inflated, and it is not likelv that after what has happened they will risk badlyburnt fin?ers. If, however, they are wise the ffovemment will maintain the control of concentration and distribution. This will obviate the scandals of the ease when some big centres are practically destitute of supplies and less populous areas are almost flooded. Local food authorities should take this matter up at once. Those who fail are likely to be badly left.'" The Daily News clipping also contained the following extract from the "National Food Journal*:—"Last .winter, taking prices as a whole, the highest point was reached in November, after which a fall was experienced; the same cannot be predicted as to next winter. On the contrary, if general past experience be taken as a guide, the New Year may witness some «% at any rate in e«taiShJffU«i*