THE MEAT TRUST.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13927, 9 July 1917, Page 1

THE MEAT TRUST.

OPERATIONS IN BRITAIN.

WKLLIXGTOX, July 4.

"The question of the action of the ceil tried has been surrounded with a great deal of mystery," declared Mr lilali'olm in the House of Representatives to-night. ''l' have had a gooil deal of diiliculty in trying to understand its methods and I am not sure yet whether I have succeeded in understanding them. 1 should, like to ask the Prime Minister if 1 am right in thinking that the meat trust acts in such a way that the arrangements between Britain and our producers of mutton ami lamb is that New Zealand commandeers the mutton and lamb at a certain price and that such meat on being taken Home as is not, used Ivy the Imperial authorities is returned to the men from whom New Zealand commandeered it. Am I correct,"'

Tlip Prime Minister r.laicii that the position had not been stated quite clearly. The Xcw Zealand Government reqtiistioncd the whole of the meat on behalf of the Imperial authorities. When the meat reached the United Kingdom any surplus no! required for Imperial purposes was handed over to certain firm:; which had been in the habit, of handling New Zealand meal before the i,,-.r, and which had been threatened with Hie loss of their trade connection owing to the requisiioning system. The meal was distributed all over the United Kingdom, and batchers who considered that they were not getting a.fair shnro in the distribution of the supplies available for home consumption were entitled to apply to a special officer of Hie British Board of Trade, who would direct, if necessary, that a fair allocation fhould be made. Up till the pies:ut time the Board of Trade, although it had fixed the wholesale prices for New '/"■'■ land meat, had not touched the retail prices, lie understood that in the near future it would touch the retail prices.