EXPORT OF MEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1922, Page 5

EXPORT OF MEAT.

FIXING THE CHARGES. LEVY ON PRODUCERS. LONDON REPRESENTATION. By Telegraph.—Press' Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Meat Pool Board will meet in Wellington on Wednesday to appoint a chairman and transact preliminary business. It is understood a gentleman fully conversant with all aspects of the meat distribution business will be appointed as the London agent, with a staff of three or four to assist him. In a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette issued on Saturday last the maximum charges payable in respect to meat exported from New Zealand were fixed by the Governor-General-in-Executive-Council as follows: (a) Lamb or mutton, 2d per carcase; (b) beef, Id per quarter or 2d per side.

Under the terms of section 13 of the Meat Export Control Act, 1921-22, the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board appointed under that Act has fixed the following amounts as the charges to be paid by way of levy on all meat shipped on an exporting vessel from New Zealand on and from to-day: (a) Lamb or mutton, Id per carcase; (b) beef, Jd per quarter or Id per side. At a conference of producers held on January 10 the feeling was unanimous that the cost of the organisation of the control of the export of meat from New Zealand should be borne by the producers themselves, and should not be a charge on the consolidated revenue, and in accordance with that desire this levy has been arranged. The amount to be paid is small, but it is anticipated that the total proceeds will be sufficient provision in the meantime for the expenditure of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, both in New Zealand and London. MUTTON AND LAMB. PROSPECTS IN LONDON. GOOD PRICES EXPECTED. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister for Agriculture states that the present reduced c.i.f. offers foi New Zealand mutton and lamb are stated to be due to expected heavy arrivals in the Uni|ed Kingdom, but the March-April .statistical position does not justify these statements. In view of the fact that the High Commissioner’s cable of March 11 states that the stocks of old season’s meat are small, and new season’s meat is in short supply there would appear to be no reason to anticipate a reduction in the London market. In view of the certainty of a reduced export for the season, and provided there is no manipulation of the market in individual interests, the New Zealand producers should be assured of a reasonable return on all mutton and lamb shipped during the season.