MEAT INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 115, 17 May 1941, Page 11

MEAT INDUSTRY

MANY DIFFICULTIES

FARMERS' SUGGESTIONS

IMMEDIATE ACTION URGED

Recommendations made to the Government by the executive of the Farmers' Union in connection

with the meat crisis were included

in a report made by Mr. J. C. Bolton (Southern Hawke's Bay president) to a combined meeting of Farmers' Union executives in Hawke's Bay. Summarised, the suggestions urged increased storage space, restrictions on the quantities held in store, making available to Britain the most valuable meat (with a maximum of food value per unit of storage space), an immediate start

to provide canning plant and the

dehydrating of or otherwise dealing with meat excluded from cold store for exports and the immediate determination of a general farm production policy based on the pro-

babilities of the situation

On the financial side of the position, the executive had recommended that the Government take immediate- acUon to prevent further increases in costs, while agreeing that present prices, in view of the war situation, cou'id be regarded as a working basis; that the Government should continue to purchase all meat offered for export killing and that prices on exportable classes be on a basis of prices at present paid by the British Government; that the meat be divided into three classes, exportable, eventually exportable, and unexportable. It was proposed that the exportable meat should finance itself as at present, that the eventually exportable classes should be financed by shortterm loans raised by the Government out of the genuine savings of the people, and that the unsaleable classes be financed out of the Consolidated Fund. This method of financing, the executive believed, would distribute any loss over the whole of the community.' Mr. Bolton reported that, following full consideration of the situation, the Dominion executive made certain recommendations to- the Government concerning the meat crisis, and he discussed these at some length. FREEZING SPACE. He said that after the executive meeting, a conference had been called representative of all organisations concerned with the crisis in the export industry, but he had not heard yet what the outcome was. When the Minister had spoken of the space available for storage, he had always taken into account the freezing stores, but it could easily be seen that, if freezing operations weire to be carried on, freezing space coulH not be counted 6n as storage space. Though the Imperial Government had agreed to take more meat, they could not do so if the shipping were not available. Insulating material and freezing machinery to increase freezing and storage space were not available in New Zealand just now, but he understood that the Government was cabling wildly all over the world to try to get it. So far as farm production was concerned there must be a policy, but we were blessed with a Government that could not make up its mind about anything. All Ministers, from the Prime Minister down, had agreed with the principle that sacrifices should be equitably borne by* the whole community, but the fact was that losses caused by the war to the farm industry had so far been borne by individuals. If works ceased to buy, there would be financial chaos throughout the community. QUESTION OF DESTRUCTION. The present party in power did not like the idea of destroying foodstuffs, but was it a foodstuff when it was ho use to anyone? True, there was an immense disparity between what the farmer got for the meat and what f.he butcher charged for it but, even so, he thought that most of us got as much meat as 'was healthy for us. There might be some exceptions.

A little could possibly be disposed of by giving it to hospitals, orphanages, etc.. but that would be a mere "flea bite" to the quantity of unexportable meat, Some could be made into manure and go back to the farms. But onp could «noL get 10s worth of manure out of a'lo.* ewe, and intervening costs would mount up the disparity.-

He would agree that destruction was not the ideal answer to the problem, but some answer would have to be found.