FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1744, 19 February 1920, Page 7

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

BRITAIN’S IMPORTS

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Fob. 18

Mr Massey Ims received the following telegram from the High Commissioner, dated London, February 17th : —“With reference to your telegram of February 9, J am informed by the Board oi Trade that the following quantities of meat were landed in tho United Kingdom during the four months, October, 1919. to January, 1920: From the United States of America, 4720 tons of beet, 97 tons of mutton and lamb; from South America, 61,840 tons of beef, L 1,449 tons of mutton and lamb; Horn Australia, 18,402 tons of beef and 21,719 tons of mutton and lamb; from New Zealand, 12,292 tons of beef and 52,981 tons of mutton and land). r i ho figures quoted above represent the following percentages of the total imports; United States 21 per cent., South America 38.7 per cent., Australia 20.7 per cent., New Zealand 33.6 per cent.” The Prime Minister lias also received the following telegram from the High Commissioner; —“It was reported in the press here that the Imperial Government had completed the purchase of the whole of the Patagonian meat output for 1920. amounting to 1,250,000 carcases at 5d to 6d per lb. I approached the Board of Trade, who informed mo that no now contracts had been entered into, but that the Board of Trade was purchasing the Patagonian meat under arrangements made in 1917, whereby they agreed to purchase such quantities as they could provide tonnage for. The newspaper paragraphs apparently were due to the fact that the allocation of tonnage for the nresent season had just been made. This was taken from the Argentine trade, and is said to bo 5000 tons more than last year.”

MEETING AT MASTERTON SHOW

MASTERTON, Feb. 18

Intermittent showers somewhat marred proceedings at the People’s Day of tho Masterton show, nevertheless there was a good attendance and a large and representative gathering of farmers. Addresses on moat and shipping questions were given hv Messrs A. D. McLeod, ALP., J. C. Cooper, managing director of tho AVellmgton Farmers’ Meat Co., and Sir Walter Buchanan. The latter condemned the proposed meat commission, which he did not consider was composed of men with sufficient knowledge of shipping and business.

The following resolutions wore unanimously carried; “That the Government lie required to make arrangements that the producers are represented on any conference to fix shipping freights on frozen meat, wool and dairy produce.” “That this meeting emphatically protests against the hide embargo, as it is a class taxation on farmers to benefit a few farmers, and of no benefit to consumers.” “That this meeting urges tho Government to leave nothing undone to see that New Zealand stores are cleared of Imperial-owned meat before the start of the 1920-21 season.’] “That tho Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union and Sheepowners’ Federation make arrangements to have returns called through their organisations, to elect delegates at once to a conference in Wellington, and to elect a permanent committee of six or seven members to keep in constant touch with the Government, in dealing with the meat and shipping question,”