N.Z. MEAT GUARANTEE

Grey River Argus, 8 February 1941, Page 3

N.Z. MEAT GUARANTEE

STANDARD PRICES

Assured to Producers and Export Buyers DESPITE THE HOLD-UP. IPer Press Association] WELLINGTON, February 7. To maintain the economic stability of the meat industry in New Zealand as far as possible, the Government has decided to guarantee to all the buyers of export meat that it will' be purchased, ultimately, by the New Zealand Government, irrespective of the final contract conditions concluded with the United Kingdom. This statement was made this evening by the Minister of Marketing (Hon. J. G. Barclay), who explained that, at the present time, New Zealand’s meat contract with the United Kingdom Government, to cover the current season, had not yet been completed, but that every effort was being made to reach finality and negotiations were proceeding daily. Mr Barclay said that the main purpose of his statement was to place be fore the farmers the main facts of the present position, as it related to purchases of meat by the United Kingdom Government, the effect of the restricted shipping, and the firm intention of the Government to maintain. as far as possible, the economic stability of the meat producing industry. It would be remembered that the Government, through the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, had, from time to time, expressed it’s intention to finalise the conditions, when the necessity arose, under which all meat produced in the Dominion during the 1940-41 killing season would be purchased at the standard f.o.b. prices published by the Marketing Department. “We must realise that the Old Country, at present is carrying an immense burden under conditions of the utmost difficulty, and, for this reason, we must be content to accept delay, which is unavoidable, but which, we know the British Government will terminate as soon as it is possible to do so,” said the Minister. I

“Most farmers will be thoroughly conversant with Lord Woolton’s recent statement, announcing that because of the present shipping circumstances, it is inevitable that fewer ships can come to New Zealand and Australia during the present year than it was possible to send last year, and that this means a restriction in the volume of our exports, particularly those which depend upon refrigerated space. In a memorandum to our High Commissioner in London. Lord Woolton staled that it was the intention of the British Government to lift all meat from New Zealand that was humanly possible. The New Zealand Government is fully confident tfiat. this promise made on behalf of. the British Government, will be implemented to the fullest extent. Therefore, tlie present position as regards the export of our meat can be simply stated as being dependent, entirely, on the amount of refrigerated shipping space which can be provided during the current year. In view of all these circumstances, and in view, also of the New Zealand Government’s intention to maintain the economic stability of the meat industry in New Zealand as far as possible, we have decided to guarantee to all the buyers of expert, meat that it will be purchased, ultimately, by the New Zealand Government, irrespective of the final contract conditions concluded with the United Kingdom. Tentative proposals have, already been discused between the Government and the meat interests, and administrative machinery to implement the Government’s promise is in the course °1 preparation. The producers can rest assured that all the details will be finalised in the shortest possible time, and that the arrangements will be such that the operators will be able to continue their normal activities without undue inconvenience to themselves or to the producers. Ln anticipation of the possibility of a restricted shipping programme, the Government has, for some months past, been organising the-erection of additional cocl storage to the limit possible with the materials available. The Prime Minister in a statement, last month gave full details of the extent to which this additional cool storage had already been erected, or is in course of erection. I can only add that, within a'very short time, we should have ample cool storage to safeguard the condition of our meat, and carry us over the difficulties of the present season.” Mr Barclay said that it was his intention to make a further statement as soon as the present negotiations between the Government and the meat interests were complete. In this, he would give full details of the arrangements which have been finalised, and. in the meantime, his message to all the meat producers was to carry on in the usual way.