THE MEAT BOARD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3400, 30 July 1932, Page 4

THE MEAT BOARD.

The financial position of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board is in every respect satisfactory and it can be said that the meat producer has received value for his money. The Board has been responsible for the regulation of shipments, thus helping to obviate a glut on the London market; its advertising policy has led to an increased demand for New Zealand lamb in Great Britain. In addition the Board has been enabled to put a stop to the pirating of New Zealand’s reputation as the provider of “the best lamb in the world.” Several prosecutions have taken place at the instigation of the Board when butchers were selling inferior foreign lamb as the New Zealand article. The grading and handling of meat is not amongst the most unimportant of the Board’s activities, as this has enabled New Zealand meat to be placed on the market in the best possible condition. The Board now finds itself with an accumulated fund of £96,000, including £58,500 invested in New Zealand securities and £2680 cash in the bank. It was never desired that the Board should accumulate money in this way. The levy from which the fund was derived is for the purpose of placing the export meat trade on a sound foundation, and the Board has to be

commended in its endeavours in this connection. The question now is, can the Board extend its activities with the funds at its disposal? The possibilities of opening up fresh markets for New Zealand meat should be explored. Australia is now becoming a strong competitor in the lamb trade of the Dominion, and this competition will tend to increase. The Meat Board might cooperate with the Dairy Control Board with a view of thoroughly investigating the East and the Orient as fresh markets for New Zealand produce. The funds are available for this purpose, and there seems to be no reason to hoard these when they were obtained for the sole purpose of organising and extending the meat trade of the Dominion.