THE MEAT POOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1922, Page 5

THE MEAT POOL.

VIEWS OF COMPANIES. SCHEME NOT APPROVED. MORE DETAILS WANTED. ■ »• By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A conference of freezing companies was held to-day, Mr. C. A. De Latour, chairman of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Company, presiding. All the freezing companies throughout the Dominion were represented with the exception of the Wairoa Farmers’ Freezing Co., the Poverty Bay Farmers’ Freezing Co., and the East Coast Freezing Co. (in liquidation). The present position of the frozen meat market and the Government’s proposals in regard to a meat pool were fully considered and the following resolutions were passed unanimously: — (1) That as at present advised the scheme is so wholly wanting in considered detail that it cannot be approved. (2) (a) It is desirable, and it will welcome a reduction in the number of consignments and the multiplicity of marks which have grown up under the producers’ requirements; that this can be done and the companies will use ever” mean’R to effect these reforms if STfiaJ ‘•-“-i'lninents are no longer re-qu-n»-a W tn©- producers. lira companies will also do all in their power to establish voluntary factory pools and to provide means in London for the effective realisation of the meat so pooled. (c) The conference will be glad to appoint a committee to confer with any committee of producers, the meeting be held on January 10, or with the Prime Minister, the Minister for Agriculture or the department. Such committee would be authorised to represent the views of the companies as a whole.

(d) Charges can be reduced in New Zealand if the Arbitration Court takes into consideration what is a fair wage which can be borne by the producers, and also if the Government approves a board to negotiate freights for overseas exports. (e) That preference to unionists has failed in practice, has greatly tended to increase the cost of labor and should be abolished. (f) That the Government be requested to consider to what extent reduction and equalisation of railage charges can be made on fat stock, frozen meat and freezing works products generally, so as to enable the companies to lower their charges, and that this reform is particularly needed in the case of inland freezing factories. (g) In view, of the complexity of the question of the sale and distribution of meat a board or commission should be appointed, 1 by the Government to investigate in London the conditions of the business, in particular the charges at the London end, and to make recommendations to the Government for the improvement and regulation of the trade after full investigation.

(h) The conference still expresses its regret that the scheme for a national meat pool should have been propounded, unsettling all • existing conditions of trade in New Zealand, without first having received due consideration and full formulation. ,

(3) That in the opinion of this meeting the details of the proposed meat pool, which are to be submitted to a producers’ meeting on Tuesday, should be simultaneously supplied to- the companies’ conference or committee.

CANTERBURY DISAPPROVES.

“A RISKY EXPERIMENT.” Christchurch, Last Night. ■At a meeting of meat producers this afternoon the following motion, proposed by Mr. G. Gould and seconded by Mr. J. C. N. Grigg, was carried by 28 votes to 8: “That this meeting of Canterbury farmers, while appreciating the efforts of the Government to help them jn the present crisis, regard the creation of a national meat pool as a risky experiment. It approves, however, of the setting up of a producers’ board to advise the Government as to any regulation of the trade necessary to secure the more economical handling and marketing of frozen meat.” Messrs. J. G. Armstrong and E. Hay were appointed delegates to the Wel-

lington conference. APPROVAL FROM FEILDING. Feilding, Last Night. A large meeting of producers to-day heard the Hon. C4uthrie (Minister of Lands) and other speakers on the proposed pool and carried the following motion ’by a large majority: “The farmers of the Feilding district are favorable to the establishment of an organisation controlled by the producers which shall regulate the disposal of all meat exported from the Dominion.” The meeting appointed delegates to the Wellington conference. AUCKLAND OPPOSITION. Auckland, Last Night. a meeting' of representatives of Auckland stock and station agents and exporting firms to-day passed a resolution to the effect that those present, whose interests were identical .with those of the producers, were of opinion that the meat pool proposals were impracticable and extremely dangerous, and if persisted in would probably result in the sacrifice of the producers’ true interests and general disaster. The resolution added: “If the Government, confined itself to a programme the objective of which would be to reduce handling charges on meat and other products at both ends, and refrained from attempting to interfere by hasty legislation with established organisations in New Zealand and the united Kingdom at present conducting the sale of New Zealand frozen meat and other products, some good should be effected in the interests of the producers and the country generally.” The meeting recommended the pooling of. all small consignmnts at the various works as is at present done by some firms and companies. OPINION IN THE SOUTH. Dunedin, Last Night. At a well attended meeting of farmers, meat producers and others held toto djAfiUfiS the meat jwol

als, the following resolution, with a few dissentients, was carried: “That this meeting, after careful consideration of the proposed general pooling scheme for handling and dealing with the frozen meat trade, recommends that the delegates appointed oppose the present scheme as submitted, but this meeting is prepared to assist and support, any sound and workable proposal which will tend to place this most important industry on a sounder footing, and which conserves the interests not only of the producers, but of the financial institutions and merchants.’’

At a meeting held at Balclutha a re solution approving the scheme was car ried with a few dissentients.