LOSSES BY BEEF EXPORTERS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21255, 29 August 1934, Page 16

LOSSES BY BEEF EXPORTERS

♦ NEED FOR RELIEF URGED [THE TKESS Special Service] WELLINGTON, August 28. That relief should be arranged for those who have suffered loss through shipments of quarter beef having been held up pending the settlement between Great Britain and New Zealand of the quota for the next six months, was urged by Mr H. D. Acland, president of the New Zealand Sheep Owners' and Farmers' Federation, at the annual meeting of the federation this evening. Mr Acland said that it should be only reasonable and fair to arrange for relief to be given to those who have suffered loss through the temporary hold-up, to the extent at least of a remission of the charges for stor» age, in those cases where it can be shown that beef, which would otherwise have been shipped, has been held up on account of the British Government's requirements. "Admittedly this has been done in the interests of the whole of meat exporters, and I am satisfied that at no time since the Meat Board has been established has there been such a clear case for the Meat Board's funds to be used as legitimately for purposes of adjustment in those cases where hardship can be sHo'wri to have resulted, than is the case regarding the present position affecting exporters of quarter beef," said Mr Acland. "I think it only reasonable to suggest that a moratorium regarding storage charges on quarter beef should be arranged, with possibly an arrangement to refund to the companies concerned any extra costs due to the additional time required to hold beef in store until shipment can be arranged for under the terms laid down by the British Board of Trade. . "I may say that our quarter beef is being shipped to-day in large quantities, and it is hoped that by the end of this year, the amount of this season's quarter beef held in store on account of exporters, will be nil. "The prohibition of bobby calf veal for export, and boner beef, does not represent a great loss to the dairy industry, if we set off against the increased quantity since 1932 (9443 tons) of this very low-priced product (approximately 3d per lb) the 14,000 tons increase in the quantity of pork from the dairy industry in the two years following the Ottawa year, valued at from s£d to per lb."