NECESSARY MOVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1941, Page 10

NECESSARY MOVE

MR. NAjSH'S COMMENT

NEGOTIATIONS WITH

BRITAIN

MORE 'STORAGE SPACE

(Specif fl to the "Evening Post.")

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

The ex jftent of the reduction of imports of meat into the United Kingdom wb £eh was indicated by the British I Minister of Food, Lord Woolton, cai mot yet be stated. The New Zealand! Government, is conducting negotia #.lons with the British Government a rid has asked for certain facilities in order to increase the amount suggested, according to the Minister of Marketing (Mr. Nash) who discussed! Lord Woolton's statement in a tele jiphone interview from Hokitika toniglfit. - "Nrjthing has been definitely decided in Ihe negotiations yet," said the Mini ster. "According to the last cable mes &*age I received before I left Wellington the amount of meat from New Zealand will have to be curtailed, but the ' matter is being very closely wa fcched by the New Zealand Governme pt, and it is hoped that agreement wilffl be reached for a satisfactory qupta." !(n reply to a question on how the curtailment would affect the producers of;' meat in the Dominion, the Minister sziid that extra cool stores were now v eider construction to store the surplus it; eat till the restrictions were remhoved. The Government had undertaken to buy the whole" of the producers' meat supply for this season, ifciut this was at prices free on board. hit was possible that a charge would I/have to be made for the necessary mstorage because of the restrictions. p'There would have to be some discusjlsion of this matter. | PURCHASING CONTRACT. ! Clauses in the Government's pur- ' chasing contract gave the right to claim something for storage. This \. right would probably have to be raised when there was over-storage of meat and extra stores had to be constructed. Mr. Nash said that similar negotiations about the restrictions were being conducted in Australia as well as in New Zealand. It had been thought in Australia that the arrangements had been completed, but it was found that the Commonwealth was in the same position as New Zealand and negotiations were now in progress for both countries. He added that he could not give any definite information on arrangements that would be made between the New Zealand Government and the meat producers till he returned to Wellington.

"That is very likely," he said, when asked about Lord Woolton's statement that restrictions would continue till the ships were no longer required in the Middle East. "I cannot discuss any other aspects of shipping, but the New Zealand Government has asked for certain facilities so that the amount of meat suggested may be increased."