THE MEAT POOL

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1922, Page 7

THE MEAT POOL

PRODUCERS DISCUSS SCHEME. REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE. MANY FEATURES EXPLAINED. There was an attendance of about thirty at a meeting held in the Soldiers’ Club, New Plymouth, yesterday afternoon, when Mr. J. T. Quin (chairman of the Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Company), who was a delegate to the Dominion conference held on January 10 to discuss the meat pool, gave an outline of the proceedings there. A number of questions were answered by Mr. Quin concerning various aspects of the handling of meat under the proposed scheme, and at the conclusion he Whs accorded a vote of thanks. The meeting was presided over by Mr. W. B. Grant, president of the Taranaki Agricultural Society, who was also a delegate to the conference. In opening the meeting, Mr. Grant read the text of the resolution passed at the Wellington conference endorsing t the proposal to pool meat. In emphasising the importance of the question he recalled the Premier’s statement to the effect that while thq Dominion’s produce was worth £8,852,000 the cost of handling, freezing and shipping was £4,791,000, or more than half. It would be seen, therefore, that some action was necessary to give the producers relief. Mr. Quin, who was received with ap- 1( plause, reviewed the fact that the Government’s proposal was endorsed by a big majority, probably by about 20 to 1, and a committee was set up to go into details. Nothing had been revealed except that the Government would stand behind the scheme. All knew, said Mr. Quin, that owing to the prices of handling the produce it was almost impossible for the farmer to receive a return from his land. He proceeded to deal with the salient features of the [tool scheme as at present outlined. The meat, he said, would be paid for at certain prices to be fixed by a board consisting of three members in New Zealand and two in London. This body would receive cabled advices every week as to what advances they could give. WORKING THE POOL. To illustrate this point, Mr. Quin said that supposing a farmer put in a number of wethers and the board’s advice stated that they were worth 3d, he would be paid 2Jd. The rest would remain in the pool until that particular pool was worked out. He believed it would be a system of provincial pools and the results from the sale of the meat in the London market would be divided provincially. Then there was the question of what amount would be held back for a national pool to meet the emergency of one part of New Zealand striking a bad market. The advances on meat would be made by the freezing companies, with the Government backing. Representatives of the Government were against any money being taken out of the consolidated revenue to assist the pool. Producers must carry their own burdens and he believed it was quite right too. (Applause). It was hoped to materially reduce costs for insurance under the pool scheme. Dealing with the position of freezing companies Mr. Quin said they would be allowed a fair charge, sufficient to pay expenses and interest on their capital, and would also have the by-products to handle.. The opinion had been expressed that the pool was against the companies; but this was not so. If the companies were allowed expenses for handling and freezing the meat, and could pay 6 or 7 per cent, to shareholders, then they would have justified their existence. Referring to the disposal of produce at Home, Mr. Quin said it was hoped to secure better conditions. A Manchester company had offered to finance all produce that went through that port without recourse to the New Zealand Government. He thought the pool generally would be in the interests of producers; at any rate they would be no worse off than at present, for when they sent the meat Home they had practically no control over it. In reply to Mr. D. J. Hughes, the chairman said that the details of the scheme had not been worked out.

Mr. Hughes thought the Government might have formulated a scheme. The chairman pointed out that it was not a Government scheme; it was for the producers to work out the details. Mr. W. C. Weston enquired what would be the position in the case of some companies who could freeze produce at lower prices than others. Mr. Quin said he thought the reduction would be to the benefit of the producers who sent their produce through the particular company. Mr. Hughes: Do you expect any trouble with vested interests; they will fight us, won’t they? Mr. Quin: I think they are fighting us now. FURTHER ASPECTS. With regard to the Manchester proposal, Mr. W. R. Wright said he did not have very much faith in the scheme. He pointed out that the steamer Admiral Codrington was supposed to have discharged at Manchester, but was later ordered to London; for what reason he did not know. There was one thing he desired to congratulate the Government on, and that was the policy of reducing the number of ports of call, so as to reduce time in getting the ships away. He desired to say publicly that the boats which were coming to the colony were run simply in the interests of the American trust, and the fact that they were kept hanging about the New Zealand coast was responsible for the high charges which the producers had to pay. He could give names of boats, owners and everyone, but was not in a position to divulge the information. A vote of thanks to Messrs. Quin and Grant was proposed by Mr. Wright.

In reply to another question, Mr. Quin said while the meat was disposed of on the hooks to the pool the by-products were sold to the works.

Answering Mr. Hughes, Mr. Quin said the pool did not embrace tallow and hides.

Asked if there was any compulsion over the shipping, Mr. Quin said he took it that the united body of producers would have more chance than the individual. If they could not do it with the Government, at the back of them then the single companies could not.

Mr. Wteston enquired as to the attitude of the companies towards the pool, and Mr. Quin replied that some of the big companies were not in favor of it, while one of the biggest in New Zealand supported the scheme.

Mr. Hughes interposed that he did not think anybody was against the pool, but the trouble was the absence of details.

Mr. W. Stanley asked if the scheme would be worked out in detail sufficiently to deal with this season’s output or part of it. Mr. Quin replied that an endeavor was being made to get the scheme into operation this season and pressure was being brought to bear on the Government and oq the committee. Legislation would have

to be enacted as soon as the details were worked out.

The motion of thanks was seconded by Mr. Hughes and was carried by acclamation.

GOOD DONE ALREADY. COMMITTEE DOING WELL. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) - Wellington, Jan. 18. The Prime Minister gave an emphatic denial in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night to a report that the Government intended, to abandon the meat pool scheme. He stated that the necessary legislation would /be introduced during the present session, and that he believed the scheme had already been of substantial benefit to the producers.

The subject was mentioned first by Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne), who asked if the Prime Minister was aware that there were persistent rumors in circulation to the effect that the proposed meat pool would not be proceeded with, and that the committee and the Government were looking for an excuse to abandon the whole project. The member asked for definite information on the following points: (aj Will the Government, before this session closes, bring down and pass the necessary legislation to carry but the resolution of the Farmers’ Conference for a compulsory pool of all meat for export ? (b) When can the producers who desire to take advantage of the scheme at the earliest opportunity obtain advances against their meat?

Many of the farmers were unable to get advances 'On tzheir meat sat the present time, said Mr. Lysnar, and were in a very serious financial position. They were depending upon the Government pushing the scheme through so as to give them immediate relief and in some cases to save them from bankruptcy. The extent to which the statement had been in circulation was shown by the fact that a leading meat firm cabled from England at the end of last week to know if it was true that the meat pool proposal had been abandoned. The Prime Minister replied that the report that the scheme was being abandoned was absolutely incorrect. It was without the very slightest foundation in fact. He thought that the rumor had come from people with whom the wish was father to the thought. He thought that the events of the last week or two. including the increase in the price of meat, the reduction of the cold storage charges in London, and the reduction of freights, proved that the scheme had done a great deal of good already. The members of the producers’ committee, and the members of the House associated with them, had met every day last week, and they were meeting again this week. The legislation required in connection with the pool would be introduced during the present session, and he hoped that it would be passed into law. (Hear, hear.) He could pledge himself, as Leader of the House, that the legislation would be forthcoming. The finance would be taken in hand as soon as the details of the scheme had been arranged. The finance could not be hurried or dealt‘with lightly, but he would take steps to provide whatever finance might be required during the present session. Mt. Witty (Ricearton) asked if the Prime Minister could indicate what form the scheme was going to take. Mr. Massey replied that he was not a member of the committee. He knew that the committee was doing well.