MEAT MARKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1920, Page 5

MEAT MARKET.

SMALLER STOCK IN STORE. PLENTY OF SPACE OFFERING. DEMAND FOB FREE MARKET. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Representatives of the New Zealand freezing companies met in Wellington to-day to discuss various matters of importance, including shipping, freights, and the dispute between the companies and the freezing workers. The proceedings have not yot been concluded. The Prime Minister attended the conference for some time with the object of giving certain information to the delegates, and hearing their views on matters in connection with the meat trade. He was able to inform the conference that the quantity of meat still in store at the end of the year would be considerably less than had been anticipated, and the quantity over and above the beef purchased from the Imperial Government by Vestey Bros. would be comparatively small. Shipments had been proceeding rapidly, and as far as he was able to judge there would be no difficulty about getting 3pace for free meat. Sixteen insulated steamers with a capacity of about 2,000,000 freight carcases, were at present in New Zealand waters. The question of control in England was discussed by the conference. The British Government is still controlling the selling price, of imported meat in the United Kingdom, this applying to free meat as well as to meat purchased under Imperial contracts. The conference suggested that Mr. Massey should approach the Imperial authorities with the object of having control lifted as soon as possible. It was suggested that the British authorities ought not to wish to control free meat when once they had lifted their own meat. The Prime Minister assured the conference that the Government would do everything in its power to secure a free market for New Zealand meat. LONDON "BATE" CUSTOM.. Wellington, Last Night. An old grievance of shippers of New Zealand meat to London was the trade custom there of allowing a "bate" of two pounds on each freight carcase of mutton, and one pound on each freight carcase of lamb, the purchaser of sixty pounds* of mutton paying for fifty-eight pounds. This custom did not prevail at Bristol or any other British centre where New Zealand meat was handled. The "bate" was not taken during war years when the frozen meat, was being handled by the Imperial Government, but exporters at this end were assured that London buyers would require its revival when the war contracts ended. The Prime Minister stated to-day that the old arrangement was not likely to be revived. The matter had been discussed and it appeared that the parties concerned were agreed that in future buyers of New Zealand meat in London should pay for the actual weight delivered.