MEAT EXPORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 July 1940, Page 11

MEAT EXPORTS

A STATEMENT DENIED NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRITAIN. MINISTER URGES MAXIMUM PRODUCTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. A statement reported to have beer, made in Cambridge by the chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. Mr T. A. Duncan, to the effect that no information was available at to the meat products the British Government required from New Zealand has been denied by Mr Duncan, according to the Minister of Marketing Mr Nash, replying to questions when the estimates of the Meat Industry Ac count were under consideration las evening. “I have seen Mr Duncan him self about it.” Mr Nash said, “and he says he did not make any statemen: that could be interpreted that way.” Attention was drawn to Mr Duncan’s reported statement by Mr Doidgt (Opposition. Tauranga) and Mr Polson (Opposition, Stratford). Mr Polson said that Mr Duncan had quoted Pres: cablegrams as saying that meat was not mentioned in the list of produce regarded as imperative. Mr Nash: “Mr Duncan states that he said nothing whatever like what is attributed to him in the report."

Mr Wilkinson (Independent. Egmont) said there seemed to be confusion in the country on the question of production. Conflicting views had been put before Parliament. He wanted tc see if he could get a clear-cut line sc that farmers would know what they had to do in regard to the production of meat.

Mr Polson said what was wanted was information as to what, in the opinion of the department, were the things most likely to be urgently required by the Imperial authorities. He believed that cheese and bacon were first in order of preference. Mr Nash: “I would that it were possible for members to understand that negotiations are being carried on, and avoid asking questions that are not helpful.’’ Mr Wilkinson: “We want to help.” The Minister said it was difficult from day to day to determine what the position was, because of the war. The Government had said it wanted production to the limit, that it was discussing with the United Kingdom the things that it wanted, and that it had placed the resources of this country at the disposal of the United Kingdom. The British Government had given New Zealand some idea what quantity of butter and cheese it wanted. Meat would be discussed later.

“Knowing the position in Britain, the position of shipping, and storage capacity in New Zealand,” said Mr Nash, “we have said to the producers that we will buy their produce from them at a price to be agreed upon. We want the maximum quantity of foodstuffs produced that can be used for the benefit of the United Kingdom.” The Minister said the Government had an agreement with the United Kingdom to buy all the wool that New Zealand could produce during the war and for one clip after the war. Britain would probably take our butter and cheese for the duration of the war subject to negotiations in May each year regarding the price. The same might happen in regard to meat.