THE MEAT POOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1921, Page 7

THE MEAT POOL.

SUPPORT FROM BRITAIN. - - CO-OPERATION PROMISED. By Telegraph—Press Association. . Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister has received the following cable from the British Empire I reducers’ Association regarding the meat pool: “The British Empire producers organisation heartily approves the direct marketing of New Zealand products under brands, and will co-operate on this side with your association, of producers.” WOOL-BROKERS’ VIEWS. ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS. Christchurch, Dec. 23. A special meeting of the Christchurch Wool Brokers’ Association decided to send the following telegram to the president of the New Zealand Wool-Brok-ers’ Association, Wellington: “This meeting fully discussed the meat pool proposals and, whilst the decisions supported any scheme in the producers’ interests, it was found difficult to arrive at a definite opinion with the meagre information at hand. Would not the Government’s object be achieved by (I) Government graders at the freezing works and more rigid inspection; (2) Government guaranteed minimum prices; and (3) shipping controlled oy a board? It is imperative that the Government appoint only recognised licensed stock and station agents, and -not freezing companies, similarly to the wheat scheme.

DISCUSSION PROCEEDING. CONFERENCE OF PRODUCERS. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) The details of the proposed meat pool were further considered on Thursday by the committee of members of the House of Representatives. This committee, which was responsible for the initiation of the scheme, js devoting much time to the scheme and it has .been in communication with the various involved. It will be ready to place a great deal of information before the big producers’ conference, to be held in Wellington about January 10. No decisive sf>ps can be taken pending the consideration of the scheme by this conference. Reports from various parts of New Zealand indicate that the farmers’ organisations generally are disposed to support the scheme. Opposition appears to be developing, however, among the freezing companies. Representatives of the freezing companies have conferred in Wellington this week, and they will be ready to state their case when the producers’ conference meets. It appears that some of the more important freezing companies are alarmed about the suggested introduction of Government grading, which has been stated by the Prime Minister and others to be an essential feature of the pooling system. They believe that their interests and the in* terests of their clients would be injured by the swamping of old-established marks and brands within the pool, and they suggest that grading on a national scale is not practicable owing to climatic conditions, different breeds and other factors.

The representative of one big freezing company, speaking on this point, sajd that the grading of meat would be quite a different matter from the grading of butter. The butter was a manufactured article, and the standards set by the graders could be produced within the factory. But meat was not a manufactured article. The quality of meat depended upon the breeding of the stock, the feeding applied to that stock by the farmer, and the seasonal and climatic conditions. Meat varied widely from district to district and from season to season, and it could not bp brought into one common grading. His own company had works in both islands, and it had endeavored to establish a uniform grading of meq.t by means of strict supervision and continuous training of the graders under the same master. But experience had shown that it was impossible to keep the standard uniform at the various works. The grade was bound to vary according to the standard of stock produced. He believed that the result would be chaos if the Government attempted to apply a uniform grading system to the output of the works of some forty-five freezing companies.

Another objection to Government grading, added this gentleman, was that it would deprive the important companies of their incentive to maintain a hjgh standard of output. Reference had been made already to the damage done to New Zealand’s reputation in Britain by the export of poor meat during the commandeer period, when quantity was more important than quality. The freezing companies under present conditions had an interest in keeping their standard high. But if all the meat were graded by the Government into a pool, every company would be found trying to place as much meat a? passible without regard to reputation, since the good name of the individual company would not- b r at stake. Th* connection that existed at present between certain works in New Zealand and certain selling interests in London would be lost.

The Agricultural, Pastoral arid Stock Committee of the House of Representatives heard evidence recently from representatives of the freezing companies concerning Government grading of meat. The evidence is stated to have been strongly against Government grading. The promoters of the pooling schema do not regard all this adverse criticism as well founded. They state that the pool need not involve the destruction of existing brands or the transfer of the trade in Britain from existing channels. The pool could distribute the meat through the firms that have handled the business in the past in Britain and it probably would adopt this course, since the specialised knowledge possessed by these firms is of great value to the Dominion. Definite propoals covering these points may be put forward when the representatives of the producers meet next month.