MEAT SHORTAGE IN SOUTHLAND

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27637, 19 April 1955, Page 7

MEAT SHORTAGE IN SOUTHLAND

FARMERS’ COMPLAINT

MINISTER’S REPLY CRITICISED

INVERCARGILL, April 18. “This must rank as one of the most fantastic statements ever made by a Minister of the Crown in this country,’’ said Mr I. R. Wills of a reply by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr K. J. Holyoake) to a letter from Southland Federated Farmers on a lack of freezing space in the province that had been forcing many farmers to hold two lots of ewes. Mr Wills was presenting a report on the freezing space position to the provincial executive of Southland Federated Farmers in Invercargill today. The acting-chairman of the Meat Producers’ Board (Mr F. C. Johnstone) attended the meeting. After outlining the present cool storage position and saying that more substantial increases in storage were needed than had been planned, Mr Wills quoted the Minister as replying: “It appears that your meat and wool section is ill-informed in regard to the placing of responsibility for the provision of cool storage. The responsibility rests first with the freezing companies who are operating in the district, and the general supervision of the works and their efficiency are the concern of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. The Government can only come in as an approving authority after consideration by the Meat Board.” . “In effect, Mr Holyoake says that his is a puppet Government without any power,” said Mr Wills. “Mr Holyoake is the same Minister who along with his Government set up a Royal Commission'to report on the same problem four years ago. The Royal Commission’s report was definite on the need for a new works in Southland, even though the Meat Board, regardless of expense, did everything in its power to prove that a new works was not necessary, Now, strange as it seems, the Minister says that the Government has no powers. “During the waterfront strike,” said Mr Wills “Ministers said, "This Government will rule,’ but when it suits them they say they have no power.”