MEAT INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 17226, 16 December 1919, Page 10

MEAT INDUSTRY

i LEGISLATION NEEDED TO FIGHT THE TRUST AND EVOLVE EMPIRE POLICY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, December 14. # The Committee on Meat Supplies have issued a report which states that the probable quantities of meat that can be shipped in 1921 will be 1,871,000 tons in 254 steamers, of which 480,000 tons will be from Australasia : n 132 steamers, and 847.000 tons from South America in 69 steamers. The committee have received proposals that the contracts with Australia and New Zealand should be extended long enough to cover the reconstruction period, but they have decided not to proceed with consideration of this plank in the absence of any evidence that the Dominions want their contracts maintained. The report states that as far as mutton •and lamb are concerned the Empire will become self-supporting within a few years, but it must be dependent on South America for the bulk of the beef imports for a considerable time to come. The committee, referring to the antitrust measures, agree that it is advisable to provide Teady means of intervention so as to clieck practices detrimental to the public interest. The report recommends that statutory licenses for importers and dealers, requiring the licensees to furnish information relating to the ownership of their businesses, and to afford facilities for examination of their books. They also should furnish periodical returns showing past and expected recepits of meat. But effective measures for dealing with trusts require legislation of a general character, and may necessitate international co-opera-tion. The minority report, to which Sir T. B. Robinson (formerly Agent-General for Queensland) subscribes, declares that a subsidy or guarantee of business to British works operating in South America is necessary in order to sec:V3 their continued existence, or the British Government themselves should acquire and run the works. In either case the requisite insulated shipping should be provided by the British Government. The committee recommend diplomatic action to remove the restrictions on the importation of Dominion meat into foreign countries, also that Government contracts should be confined to the producers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions. The committee are not prepared to recommend the proposal to stimulate production in the Dominions by rt subsidy, but consider that the matter should be discussed when the question of tariff, bounties, and subsidies under the general trade policy is being considered. The committee recommend the continuance of an organisation similar to the refrigerated tonnape committees. Dealing with the currency and foreign exchanges, the report states that the depreciation of the sterling exchange rate in New York is largely due to the expanded state of credit in Great Britain. The large _ payments the latter has to make America for necessary imports make it essential that Britain should secure payment in cash for as large a proportion of her exports as possible. The committee recommend that preference be given to exports to countries able to pav cash In the ordinary course of trade the first essentials to the recovery of exchange are increased production, cessation of Government borrowing, and decreased expenditure by the Government and individuals. TRAFFIC CONGESTION. LONDON DOCKS DELAY. LONDON, December 14. The Ceramic, laden with 18,000 tons of food supplied from Australia, ip delayed at Plymouth owing to congestion in the London docks. It is not expected she will unload before Christmas. ' ~ , December 15. Merchants and manufacturers of South wales formed a deputation to Mr Llovd George, drawing attention to the transport congestion. The Prime Minister attributed the congestion to the war-time wear on locomotives and waggons, the introduction ol the eight-hour day. (1 e ironmoulders' strike, and increased railway traffic owing to the rise in coastal shipping freights, lie promised to reorganise the shipping, labor, and coal control, and to speed up the budding of rolling stock. He appealed to Labor and Capital to pull together, enabling the country to triumphantly enter a period ot unprecedented prosperity, in which he hoped all classes would partici-