NO AMBIGUITY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 10

NO AMBIGUITY

EEPLY TO FARMEKS POLICY OF THE MEAT BOARD POSITION OF SMALLER WORKS There is no ambiguity in the reply made by the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board to recent criticisms by the Farmers' Union of its polii-y. The Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union at its last meeting passed a resolution viewing "with alarm the apathy of the Meat Board towards the safeguarding of the farmers' freezing works, and again asks f-at a Committee of Inquiry be appointed at once to make inquiries into the working of the smaller works." ' To this resolution, which was forwarded to the board, a rejoinder has been received. The board points out that "the unsatisfactory position of many of the farmers.' freezing companies to-day, and what the future L likely to bring forth, is a matter which ha's exercised the individua. mind of each member of the Doard, and is a subject that has been very frequently discussed at differer' meetings of the board, and your suggestion of apathy on the part of the board is quite contrary to fact." "OPEN-DOOR POLICY." To safeguard' the interests of the farmers of this Dominion, the board states that it made it very clear in its Press communique, dated Ist May, 1923, that it would not agree to overseas concerns purchasing, erecting, or acquiring any further interests in our New Zealand freezing works without the board's approval. The visdom of this policy has now been fully recognised as being a safeguard to keep the frozen meat works from falling into outside hands and to maintain an open-door policy and freedom of trading. "The actio of the board in'this respect has undoubtedly strengthened the position of many of th. weaker freezing companies in this Douinion. , "It cai:.,ot bo said that the low freezing rates and the prices paid for stock during, the la.»t few years have b;en detrimental t« fprmers. The low freezing rates have not proved unprofitable to those works having a large output. The Meat Board cannot safeguard the freezing companies from losses such as have boen made during the last two v- three years, but it is the duty of the board, as ±ar as it is able, to see that neither these losses nor any other cause shall bring about such conditions as will operate to the disadvantage of the meat producers of this'country." "INVALID Y/ORKS." "Some of our invalid works (the board continues) are in their present position because .of their situation— their turnover being too small to enable them to work profitably at competitive rates. In viewing the condition of such works, - the board must judge the matter solely from the position of tho Dominion as a whole. "The turnover of a freezing works is the lirst essential to its successful running, and it has been exemplified in those farmers' works which are to-day making a success of their business." "LACK OP LOYALTY." The board suggests that the present position of many farmers' freezing companies is due, to a largo extent, to the apathy of farmers themselves in not patronising their own works " and it is of interest to noto that the chair man of directors of the Gisborne Sheenfarmers' Frozen Meat Co., Ltd at the last annual meeting of shareholders of that company, referred at some length to "the lack of loyalty" of farmers to their own co-operative -reezine works. " Tho board, in conclusion, states that it is always willing t 0 meet a deputation from your union to-discuss this matter, "but it cannot see that a Committee of Inquiry, as suggested by you, could obtain fuller information thai, what tho board possesses. The whole or. this information has been thorou E hly silted and examined, and the board's policy has been formulated with the whole of this evidence before it."