EXPORT OF MEAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1941, Page 9

EXPORT OF MEAT

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY PROMISE TO PURCHASE. BUYING SCHEDULE INCREASED. •By Telegraph—Press Association.i WELLINGTON. This Day. The successful conclusion of negotiations which have extended over several week between the Government and representatives of the meat buyers, freezing companies and the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board was announced last evening by the Minister of Agriculture. Mr. Barclay. 'The purpose of the discussions, said the Minister, was to secure some practical plan by which lhe Government's promise to purchase all exportable meat produced during the 1940-41 season could be successfully applied without any major dislocation to the norma] activities associated with the meat trade. "The agreement which has now been secured provides in general for the various meat operators to continue their normal buying functions and the freezing works on their part to continue to process and prepare the meat for export in the usual way,” said Mr. Barclay. “If exportable meat remains unshipped after a given period, the Government purchase plan automatically becomes operative; and in this way the original undertaking given to producers by the Government will be fully implemented. “I am also very pleased to announce." said the Minister, “that as a direct re-t suit of this agreement, it was decided today by the meat buyers' representatives. in consultation with the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture and the general manager of the New Zealand Meat Board, to increase the present buying! schedule for live stock.’’ This new schedule, which will become operative as from Monday, February 24. provides for the following increases:— Lambs tall grades): One-eighth of a penny a lb. Wethers, up to 721 b.. one-fourth of a penny a lb. Ewes, up to 721 b.. one-eighth of a penny a lb.

The Minister concluded by express-j ing his appreciation of the very friendly and co-operative attitude adopted by! all representatives during the discus- j sions. It was evident that it was the j I desire of everyone present to find the' best means by which the stability of ■ the industry could be maintained. He felt sure that the announcement he | was now able to make would be wel-| ■comed by all sections of the farming I ! community throughout the Dominion. I J Following the discussions which 1 have recently taken place with regard i to the cutting and packing of meat for ■ export, the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has given the following statement to the Press: The manner in which our meat should be cut and packed for shipment to the United Kingdom since the commencement of the war has been a matter of dircc- | tion from the British Ministry of Food ■ and all their instructions have been carried out implicitly. With regard to mutton and lamb, all carcases have been telescoped according to the method laid down. In telescoping mutton and lamb, the main principle is to coni' serve space and to land the earcases ‘ at their destination in the best possible I condition. Ewes 731bs and over are at | present being boned out. With regard ito baconer pigs. the Dominion has j made representations for some time I past to the British Ministry of Food to . allow al) baconer earcases to be ship- • ped as Wiltshire sides. The Ministry of ’ Food has now agreed to this.