FROZEN MEAT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17264, 4 September 1916, Page 9

FROZEN MEAT.

THE POSITION IN LONDON. A TIMARU PROTEST. [From Oun Cobbesfondext.] TIMARU, September 2. The South Canterbury executive of tho Farmers' Union to-day discussed tho position of the frozen meat industry. The chairman (Mr John Talbot) said that tho system under which meat was, being purchased by tho Imperial authorities was injurious to tho pro-. duccrs' interests They would have no cause to complain if the consumers at Home wore supplied at a price which would cover simply the cost of the meat in the Dominion and the expenses incurred in conveying it to the consumers, but lamb was bought hero at about 6d a lb and sold to the unfortunate consumer at three times that price. This amounted to a grave public scandal. "It is apparent," said Mria Talbot, ",that wo are suffering tho tun© of some millions of poundsi'*'' for the benefit of middlemen and specur.',-. lators. Wo were informed that the meat was commandeered by the Imperial I authorities, wo therefore accepted tho position, largely from a spirit of patriotism and to help the Empire. The result is one that cannot but cause us feelings of anger, and we have just cause of complaint against those who, without in any way consulting us, .„ have handed over our produce ano£' a allowed it. to be dealt with in such/ 5 " a manner." ' -

Mr Talbot added that two circumstances were interesting. One was that outside buyers of lambs during the past season wero giving higher prices than those fixed by' the Government, aud tho other was that London quotations for Argentine supplies had been higher than for prime Canterbury. Local producers were suffering now, and in all pro-, bability would be seriously injured inj,* the future. There would not be sc£j much objection to the scheme if, after New Zealand had sup-.u plied its fair contribution for army quirements, the balance of its produce ' was sold at current market rates and the profits from tho sale credited to the Dominion as a war contribution. I Members endorsed the chairman's statement and passed n resolution urging that tho "Government should ro-i view the position. i