NEW ZEALAND MEAT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 301, 14 September 1921, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND MEAT

ALLEGED HOLD-UP IN DOMINION

STATEMENTS BY ARMOUR’S REPRESENTATIVES London, September 12. The "Pall MdU Gazette’’ gives prominence to what it describes as “New Zealand's sensational hold-up of meat,” and publishes details of the dispute between New Zealand and tho “Big I'ive," based on statements by Armour’s representatives. The - “Pall Mall Gazette” says that several hundred thousand sheep and Jambs aro lying rotting in tho stoi-e--house in Christchurch instead of being sent to the London markets. Tho “Gazette" features a letter and an interview with Armour’s London manager <Mr. Caboil) alleging that ono reason for the high meat prices in Britain is tho New Zealand Government’s refusal io allow Armour’s to ship sheep and lambs, and stating that j>ossibly the New Zealand Government is unduly influenced by tho middlemen resenting Armour’s competition, and this induced the Government embargo on several hundred thousand carcasses. The paper does not vouch- for the accuracy of the statement, but; adds that the explanation is plausible. The article outlines the history of tho United '‘States intervention. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. palpablFinaccurate STATEMENTS OF EXPERTS MEAT NOT LONG ENOUGH IN STORE TO DETERIORATE. Tho statements made by the “Pall Mall Gazettu” regarding what tho London journal terms “New Zealand’s sensational hold-uj> of meat” appear to lie based on a misloading ex parte account of what has occurred. of the journal are told that “several hundred thousand sheep and lam’bs are lying rotting in the storehouse in Christchurch instead of being sent to tho Lbndon markets," and that “one reason for tho high meat prices in Britain is New Zealand’s refusal to allow Armour and Company to ship sheep and lambs." Both these statements are’’ palpably inaccurate in the light of the official information available in New Zealand.

The quantity of mutton and lamb owned by Armour and Company of Australasia and held in freezing stores in New Zealand is in 'the neighbourhood of 300,000 freight carcasses. This meat was bought during the last killing season, and is stated by experts to be in perfectly good condition. It has not been in tlie stores long enough to suffer deterioration.

The suggestion that the delay in the shipment of this meat is causing high prices to rule in Britain reveals lack of knowledge of tho actual conditions in the British market. There is no shortage’of frozen meat there, and the prices that are being paid for mutton are low, as tho New Zealand farmers well know. There is great disparity between, the landed prices of the moat and the retail prices, but that is another matter. “If this meat goes to London it will pass through the ordinary trade channels,” said a •well-informed business man yesterday, “and doubtless it will sell nt the ordinary market, price. Tn that case the consumers can get no special benefit, since the quantity is not large enough to depress tho market in their favour. If Armour and Company sold at less than the ruling market price, they would lose money, and the interests of the New Zealand producers might suffer to some extent. But it is rot easy to imagine any good reason, they could have for doing anything of' tho sort. The London newspaper has not got the hang of the position at all.”

The attitude of the New Zealand Government* concerning this meat has been stated very fully qnitfe recently in the published correspondence between tho Acting-Prime Minister and the United States Consul-General. The Government (considers that Armour and Company bought the meat in defiance of the law and with.the object of forcing the Government later to issue nA export license. The firm liought the meat without being in possession of the license. The Government is willing that the meat should go to the United States, but has refused to permit'Armour and Company to eend the meat io London. That is where the dispute rests at the moment, and in tho meantime the meat is held securely in tho freezing stores. Certain discussions are still proceeding.

- DENIALS FROM CHRISTCHURCH "MESSAGE OBVIOUSLY ABSURD." By Telecranh—Press Association. Christchurch, September . 13. Referring to the "Pall Mall Gazette’s" statement as cabled to-day, Mr. AV; I. Carney, of Armour and Co., Ltd., of Australia, gave an absolute denial to the statement that several hundred thousand carcasses wore lying rotting in New Zealand cold stores. As a matter of fact, he said, about 350.000 carcasses were in store in New Zealand, but these were only from the killing of the season just ended, and it would be ridiculous io say that in such a short time the frozen meat was perishing. This meat had accumulated in the freezing stores since the Minister of Customs, acting under the unrepesllcd provision of the War Regulations Act, had refused Armours a permit to export meat. "We hope that when Air. Massey returns to New Zealand things will”'he straightened out to the satisfaction of everybody," said Mr. Carney. . The representative of a largo freezing company said that the cabled message was obviously absurd," As far as he knew tlr.-re were only 300.000 carcasses in tho New Zealand cold stores, and whfn the of frozen meat from t.he Argentine were taken into consideration (hat amount would have no effect in reducing meat prices in Britain.—Press Assn.