FROZEN MEAT

Evening Star, Issue 17350, 12 May 1920, Page 7

FROZEN MEAT

THE POSITION AT HOME.

STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY

_ The Prime Minister was asked at Wellington yesterday for Iris opinion regarding ttie cabled armouncomnt that the' British Government had decided to reduce the •price of meat, with the apparent object of clearing the glut of stocks at'present held. " I know the drop in prices had to comej" said Mr Massey. "That was quite certain, judging by the enormous quantities of meat in store in Britain and on tho way. there. I cannot help thinking that • there has been a great deal of mismanagement in Britain, particularly in the handling of meat. Everyone knows that the people of Central Europe would bo very „ glad to have whatever surplus may be available, but with the unrest which* prevails there it is apparently almost impossible to provide properly for the requirements of the population. The markets for our produce are limited to Britain, and perhaps the United States. Whether we can do much business with the latter country remains to be seen. The meat trusts do not appeal to many of the producers of this country, and I think that the producers have every Teason to be careful. What the position will be six months from now, so far as the meat supplies of Britain are concerned, it is almostimpossible to sav. Just at present the outiooK for shipping from 2se\v Zealand is gocd, there' being no fewer than 30 ships m sight; but even with this number of ships, and others to follow, it is almost certain that there will be a large quantity of meat in our cold stores-when the next season opens at the end of the year. The Imperial Government will make a serious loss by the reduction in price which has been announced, but as against that they made a good profit in Atastralian meat during most of 1918. For some time past I have been unable to get any definite statement from the Board of Trade or the Food Ministry with regard to their intention in the way of assisting us and avoiding confusion and inconvenience which may result from having quantities of Imperial Government-owned meat in store after the end of 1920. There is no reason to be pessimistic with regard to the Mure; what has happened, and is happening, in regard to meat, aiong with the drop in the prices of wool announced to-day, is another'indicition that we cannot depend upon the very. good prices which we have received for our produce during the war period continuing indefinitely. There is no possibiliy of a continuation of the meat commandeer. If the Imperial Government agrees to any extension of the requisition it will be only for a short period, in order to enable the stores to be cleared before the new season's meat is,ready for shipment. I have no information to convey about butter, but there will be no commandeer. It is also quite definite that there will be no commandeer of cheese this season either. I