PRODUCE PRICES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 28 October 1921, Page 5

PRODUCE PRICES

STOCKS InToNDON BURDEN OF FREIGHTS (From Our Parliamentary Correspondent) WELLINGTON, Oct. 27, Interesting information was supplied to the House of Representatives, by the | Prime Minister yesterday in reference 'to the 'stocks of Imperial-owned New 'Zealand meat and tho current prices. 'The Prime Minister quoted the following cablegram from the High Commissioner: “Meat Stocks: la reference to your telegram oi 21st and 22ud Octobci. Official figures not obtainable from the Board of Trade, hut understand on good authority that „ Imperial Government stocks consist only about ton, tons lambs and 20 tons sundries, which it is expected will bo sold within two weeks. During August Imperial Government sold all ewes at 4|d. Sec my produce cable of August 13 and August 20, and it is estimated 160,000 of these s ti'll in store. Have learned to-day that they recently sold balance wethers to same firm at 4d in London and 3jd in provinces and it is estimated 60,000 of these still unsold. “Veslcv’s beef; no information obtained regarding quantity remaining. “Wholesale price. New Zealand beet best ox, hinds 6d, fores 4RI. Mutton light weight figcl, heavy-weight s^d, ewes 4|d Lamb, light-weight 9d, heavy-weight Od. Retail price mutton legs 9d to Is, loins 8(1, shoulders lOd. Lamb legs, loin and shoulder l/3d. Beef, sirloin 1/2, wing 1/2, rumpsteak Prime Minister said that ibis indicated. that the stocks not yet disposed of so far as the retail trade was concerned were 160,000 carcases, less itTian two shiploads. The information was very important and threw a great deal of 'light on the present position. Mr Wilfnrd: “Where does the information come from?” Tho Prime Minister: “From, the High Commissioner’s office. There w a special officer attending to this side ot the hU Mr° Wilford: “Would it bo possible for him to obtain misleading mformaThe Prime Minister said that the officer was highly experienced and tho information could be relied on. Tho Prime Minister quoted also a cablegram which he had received from the British, Incorporated Society of Meat Importers, London. This was a Society which waited upon him recently and which now cabled: “Wish draw your particular attention freight problem which m our opinion is crux of problem oi Zealand meat trade for immediate future. It is sufficiently realised freight from Argentine has now been reduced to Id per lb? Anything materially in excess of this a serious handicap to Australian meat trade as a whole and particularly to producers. Think no time should be' lost getting to grips with problem and respectfully submit that you sljould deal with this matter promptly as possible. The Prime Minister said that New Zealand and Australian producers were being charged 'more than Argentine and were handicapped accordingly. The New ZealanS'freights yrere: Lamb 2d lb, mutton lid, beef Ud, all ; plus 5 per cent, if killed prior to 31st August, plus per cent, if killed after 31st August. There was practically Id per Jb handicap on New Zealand meat. It was true that the Argentine meat was carried about half the distance, but against this the Argentine meat was chuicd and took about double the space of our frozen meat. lie bad asked the permanent head of the Department ot Agriculture to convene the Procluceis Committee for Friday next to see if something could be done as soon as possible. There was a contract which ended on January XT'but in-view of tho information received he did not think they should wait until January before approaching the shipping companies to reconsider the matter. Mr Isitt: “Do we retain our ity to Argentine in mutton? Tho Prime Minister replied that-we did just as Argentine retained a superiority in beef,