MEAT SCHEDULE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 95, 19 October 1944, Page 6

MEAT SCHEDULE

NOT READY YET

It was impossible at the present tune to announce the new schedule of meat prices said the Minister of Marketing (Mr. Roberts) in the House of Representatives yesterday. His statement was made after he had been pressed for the information by Opposition members during consideration of the estimates of the export division of the Marketing Department. Mr. A. S. Sutherland (National, Hauraki) said that the season was getting on, and those concerned desired to know what the position would be regarding meat prices. , "There is a good deal of speculative and forward buying in anticipation of a rise in the meat schedule," said Mr. K. J. Holyoake (National, Pahiatua). "The Minister should take as early an opportunity--as possible to make some kind of statement. Perhaps he can nominate a date on which he will be able to release the new schedule, because farmers are anxious to have full information to enable them to face the market and this forward buying." /

Mr. Holyoake also urged the Minister to take more notice of the Meat * Board in determining the schedule, because, he said, he knew the board. ' would not agree with the schedule that had operated in the past two years. The schedule should give encourage- * raent to the production of heavier weights. Mr. Holyoake said he thought the Fat Stock Disposal Order could well be abolished at this stage.

The Minister replied that the .meat schedule was now under discussion by the Stabilisation Commission and the Meat Board, and it was not possible at the present time to make any announcement. It was not possible, either, to nominate a date when it \: would be announced. The Minister added that it was not .intended to abolish the Fat Stock Disposal Order, because it was felt that if that were done worse difficulties would accrue. They would be only too pleased to revoke the order if the time was opportune, but the end of the war .was not yet in sight; the position was changing frequently, and it was considered necessary that the order should be maintained.