FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 5 August 1919, Page 5

FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

A SERIOUS POSITION

At a meeting of the Feilding A. anoT P. Assn. on Friday, Mr Hugh BurrefJ, chairman of the Feilding Farriers* Freezing Co., and also of the N.Z. Associated! Co-operative Freezing Companies, said that the outlook for tho producers.was most serious (reports tho Star). New Zealand now had in store 8,900,000 carcases of frozen mutton. Ifc would not be possible to lift the eightmillion carcases during the next three* months. Even in pre-war times tho shipping could only take away 3,soo,ooo*under the best conditions. But, continued Mr Burrell, that was not tho only bad feature. The British Government had purchased the New* Zealancf meat cheaply, and had paid a very high price for the American meat. Thejr were now selling to the. public at such prices that would enable them to make up on the New Zealand meat what they were losing on the American meat. The prices were so high that the people? had largely got out of th e habit of eating meat. New Zealand wanted to get back its market in Britain, Tho Freezing Companies urged that the Imperial Government should be requested* to place the New Zealand commandeered meat on the market at a price which would not mean a loss to them {thoImperial Government) nor a profit. The companies objected to the Imperial Government making a profit out of the New Zealand meat ~to pay for the loss on the American meat, the associated freezing companies had passed the fob lowing resolution : "That in view of thft-

serious position likely to arise at tho conclusion of the Imperial commandeer of New Zealand meat as set out in the statement prepared by Mr W. J. Polson, the co-operation of the Farmers* Freezing Companies in New Zealand is earnestly requested to bring nreasura to bear on the Government to set up ai. Commission of expert producers familiar with the meat business both from the. Farmers' and the Freezing Copanies* point of view, to proceed to England to investigate the position at Home, and,. if possible, arrange for the future distribution of our meat; and further to l endeavor to induce the English auth- [ orities to place our meat on the market . without profit or loss to the Imperial Government. j The committee appointed supported this resolution, which is to be forwarifedT to all A. and P. Associations in the Dominion.