EXPORT OF MEAT

Evening Star, Issue 15928, 7 October 1915, Page 7

EXPORT OF MEAT

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S STATEMENT. MR MASSEY’S COMMENTS. [Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 6. In reference to the statements which have been circulated in various parts of the Dominion to the effect that quantities of our frozen meat were falling into the hands of London speculators, the Prime Alinister stated in the House of Representatives this afternoon that he had communicated with the High Commissioner, who stated in effect that all New Zealand meat Is being sold by agents nominated by the respective New Zealand shippers. Every one of these agents has entered into an agreement pledging himself to the Board of Trade to sell only to distributors and retailers’ agents, to 'furnish the British Government the buyers’ name and prices realised regularly on a proper form provided for this purpose. All these selling agents’ returns, open for inspection, advised that the "British Government were satisfied that all the agents were acting in good faith, and that no unreasonable profits were being made. There has been practically no change in the prices of New Zealand meat during the last four or five months, and report that the steps taken to eliminate -speculators have been com* pletely successful.

With regard to the Imperial Government meat supply, the Prime Minister made the following further statement:— (1) hince the inception of the scheme (March 3) the following shipments of meat on behalf of the Imperial Government have been made 293,795 quarters beef, 1,859.230 carcasses mutton, 2,711,865 carcasses lamb; (2) 52 steamers have been employed in the carriage of this, of which 29 have arrived at their destination, 16 are now on route, and seven are at present oil the loading berth in the Dominion; (3) the payments to date amount to £5,001,290 lls sd, representing purchases in the various districts as follows • —Auckland £516,617 2S lid, Poverty IJuy £453,897 12s 6d, Hawke’s Bay £412,718 9s Id. Taranaki £179 283 Is sd, Wellington £1,275,046 12s sd; total for North Island, £2,637,544 15 s 5d • Marlborough £19,905 lls 3d, Nelson £25,296 19s lid. Canterbury £1,408 066 14s sd, Otago £441,347 19s 9d, Southland £409,128 10s 8d; total for South Island, £2,363,745 16s; (4) payment for shipments is made on the production of the necessary documents to the officer in charge of the Imperial Government Meat Supply Branch, Wellington, and for tne convenience of shippers arrangements were entered into with the banks°to permit the negotiation of drafts on that branch free of. exchange in the case of those shippers desiring to deal directly with the officer in charge, and as an alternative method of payment an arrangement is in force whereby the freezing companies may forward documents direct to Wellington with an intimation of tb» clients to whom payment is desired, when cheques'-made-payable free of exchange at any bank indicated are posted to the clients named. Payments- are invariably made within 24 hours of the receipt of documents; (5) the meat in store at the inception of the scheme amounted to 1,383,781 < 601b carcasses. This ro=A tn 2,181,659 60lb carcasses on July y at the present time there are only approximately 550,000 carcasses in store mid with the insulated tonnage in view there will be no 'difficulty in lifting this prior to the arrival of the new season’s stock. At least eight of the, freezing stores are empty at the present moment” The tonnage now in sight should prove ample for’ the Dominion’s requirements to the end of the present year.