MEAT EXPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1939, Page 5

MEAT EXPORTS

WARNING TO FARMERS. [pee press association.] DUNEDIN, March 11. The contention that unless farmers organised promptly to meet the situation that would arise when the re-cently-imposed restriction on meat exports became noticeable, there was a grave danger of private dealing in meat, being at. the. least very seriously reduced, was made by the Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr. W. W. Mulholland) in an address at the Farmers' Union conferecen, held at Balclutha, to-night. Mr. Mullholland assured the farmers present, that there was nothing to be gained from leaving the matter to the politicians. “This year the restrictions will probably not be felt," Mr. Mulholland said, “but when you remember that our quota is 3 per cent, less than the figure for one of our worst seasons for a long time, it will be seen that we need only to have a normal production season and we will feel it badly. “There will be meat produced that will not be able to find a. market. It is nothing to get into a panic about. It: is something for us to do something about, and not leave to the politicians. “We have lately had the spectacle of two politicians arguing about what one of them said in 1933, but we are not interested in that. What we want to know is what is going to happen in 19-10." If unsaleable meat were allowed to go on the market it would inevitably reduce the price for all classes of meat. Mr. Mulholland said, but how was it to be taken off the market? Farmers had until next season to think out a, plan, and if they had not their plan ready to go into operation immediately the crisis came something would have to be done, and it would be done by the Minister for Marketing.

Farmers had the choice of making such arrangements as would enable them to keep control, or giving control to the Government. The Meat Board had a grave weakness, in that there were several members who represented interests other than farmers, and those interests would fight tooth and nail to maintain their business, making an unbiased decision impossible. The grave danger was that' private dealing in meat would be abolished, or at least very seriously reduced.