THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1941 INTERIM MEAT POLICY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23923, 25 March 1941, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1941 INTERIM MEAT POLICY

An interim policy has at last been announced by the Government to meet for the time being the serious situation facing the meat industry owing to the deep cut made in the export trade. Details have yet to be worked out giving effect to Mr. Nash's undertaking that the Government will purchase all meat produced for export in the current season at prices equal to last season's rates, but Mr. Barclay says the pledge will be redeemed. No difficulty will occur -with the classes of meat preferred for export, but it will be harder to assess values in the case of stock producers are compelled to hold on the farm. Animals brought to prime condition are apt to go back if not killed at once. Their keep will cost something while they are awaiting the Government's decision on their tale. If the decision is not made promptly, many producers will be faced with the evils of over-stocking. Obviously, there is urgent need to solve the problem of surplus stock immediately, since the flush of feed is declining with the season. Special consideration has been earned by producers of baconers, who until an extremely late date had been encouraged to breed and to feed for bacon. I Another special case is that of high ! country graziers, who do not produce for export and are not included i under Mr. Nash's pledge. Nevertheless, the export cut affects them by I depreciating the value of their I annual drafts. Mr. T. D. Burnett, i M.P., has cited an instance of a line ■of 4GO sheep, worth 15s to 20s each | a few weeks previously, selling at J under 2d each. The runholders make lan essential contribution to the j sheep industry and must be saved I from ruin.

Just as important as quick decision in meeting the present crisis is to make the decisions fully known. The Government has already delayed too long in informing farmers of the facts of the position, leaving them to plan in the dark. !As long ago as December 20, the Government was aware that the current season's quota was to he drastically reduced, the suggestion at the time being 238,630 tons, as compared with last season's export of 350,921 tons. Here was a cut of about 30 per cent, yet producers were allowed to proceed in ignorance for four weeks. Then they were informed that restrictions would be necessary, but were not told the severity of those suggested by Britain. Mr. Nash even expressed hopes of arranging a satisfactory quota and Mr. Eraser advised farmers to carry on as usual. In the upshot, as revealed yesterday by Mr. Barclay, New Zealand has obtained a quota considerably smaller than the one Mr. Nash hoped to enlarge. It has been reduced to 180,550 tons, little more than half the quantity exported last season. And, while information vital to their industry was withheld for three months, fanners were allowed to proceed with all sorts of plans for increasing production and to enter into all sorts of commitments. The annual trek of breeding ewes from Poverty Bay to the Waikato, to quote but one instance, took place as usual. Xo doubt many farmers are left lamenting because the Government did not publish information in its possession—vital information to which the farmer had the first right. That must not be allowed to occur again. Fortunately, there are signs that Mr. Barclay does not intend to pursue the secretive policy of Mr. Nash, his predecessor. Farmers have now been brought abreast of events and should be kept posted on all developments. Exports of frozen meat last season brought in £20,102,000. This season the quota by quantity has been almost halved, although, as the quota will be filled with best quality, the cut in receipts will not be so deep. The annual value of those classes of meat at present withheld from export amounts to over £6,000,000. A serious reduction in sterling income must therefore be sustained by New Zealand. In the current season, producers are to be fully compensated, the community purchasing through the Government quantities of meat that may never be realised. New Zealand as a whole therefore faces a dead loss of some millions. Nor, if the shipping shortage becomes more acute, is meat the only item of national income likely to be affected. The Government and the country should therefore accept now the reasonable certainty of future stringency and make adjustments accordingly. The national economy must not be allowed to drift into difficulties. Now is the time to take a firm grip of the tiller. And, so far as the meat industry is concerned, having fixed on an interim policy to tide over the current season, the Minister and the industry should even now be studying the provision that can be made against the new season opening on October 1 next.