Proposals For Increasing N.Z. Meat Production

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26659, 19 February 1952, Page 7

Proposals For Increasing N.Z. Meat Production

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, February 18. “New Zealand can produce more meat for Britain than she is sending at present, but planning and co-opera-tion by both countries is needed,” said Mr J. D. Ormond, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board in an interview before he left London yesterday. “I feel most strongly that Major G. Lloyd George, Britain’s Minister of Food, should come out to the Dominion—and I think he would—and explain frankly just what are Britain’s needs, what he would like New Zealand to do, and what he is prepared to do himself. “Meat is all important to Britain to-day in the same way as steel. When Britain wants steel, she sends her top men abroad to get it—Mr Churchill talked to President Truman about steel and got 1,000,000 tons more, “If Britain wants more meat, then she should get busy and send out her top men. Without some effort of this kind on Britain’s part, she will only get the present amount of meat from New Zealand and the normal rate of increase.”

Mr Ormond said that If Major Lloyd George came to New Zealand and said: "Will you invest more In the industry and produce and send us more? we have given you free right of entry for all your surplus meat into the United Kingdom for the next 15 years; we ire prepared to extend it for many more years and we will pay you for your quality meat—then New Zealand farmers would be getting somewhere. “The New Zealand farmer must have security. It would be no good to him if Britain asked him to produce more meat and then, after a few years, the Argentine, for example, started to unload cheap meat into Britain and New Zealand found herself with an embargo again. This 15-year declaration will give us some feeling of security. “Britain now relies mainly on her meat from two sources: her own farmers and New Zealand. And I feel it would be a very good thing if farmers’ organisations in both countries not only get together to talk about one another’s problems, but also discussed the background for the long-term importation of meat into Britain. It would then be of benefit to both. Distribution in Britain “I think Britain should also do another thing. She should do away with the present system of distribution throughout .the country. It came into force at the’ beginning of the war, and among other things it means a flat rate for meat. This is against New Zealand’s interests. We supply the best meat in the world. Other countries are selling their best meat at home and exporting their second grade quality to Britain. But everything is sold at the same price in Britain. “I feel this system should be changed. Then New Zealand since she sends the best quality, would get the best nrlce. And this would help our production. The whole system in Britain to-day, whether it be trader, wholesaler, or butcher, is a policy of ‘pay me at breakfast time tor the work I am about to do.’ This has proved a failure, and we must get back to incentive and initiative by experts instead of Government officials. The decision to change the system is of course a domestic question for the British Government. It also has its political angles. There is nothing we can do about it in New Zealand/’ Mr Ormond repeated that hq was satisfied with the present increased prices given by Britain. “But it is not necessarily going to boost our production beyond its normal increase," he said. “It requires drive and scientific research to bring about the necessary results tojfeed Britain in the immediate future. The increased price of course applied to the 1951-52 agreement. In September we shall start discussing the 1952-53 agreement. In two months Britain will negotiate on a new agreement with the Argentine and Australia. and will perhaps tiick another rose into the bouquet she has already handed out to Australia for the next 15 years. We shall have to see what happens there. We do not want to be the last in the queue all the time.”