NO EXPORT OF STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16013, 3 September 1915, Page 7

NO EXPORT OF STOCK.

PROTEST FROM WAIKATO.

MB. MASSEY'S EXPLANATION.

•3 Hasoxtoji, Thursday. The committee, of the Waikato Graziers'. Association , recently wrote to the Prime Minister, protesting against the prohibition of the export of live stock to Sydney. Mr. Massey's reply was received at a meeting of the association to-day. Mr. Massey said that he desired to state .that the butchers had nothing to do with the prohibition of the export of fat stock.. The. real reason was that in February last the Imperial Government, acting within its rights, asked the Government to requisition all meat available for export in New Zealand. The same thing was done in different States of Australia. Beef was particularly wanted for "the troops. Soon afterwards the drought in different paits of New Zealand became serious, particularly in Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, and Canterbury, * and it became absolutely necessary, unless there was to be a serious loss by the people concerned, and to the country as a whole that fat lambs should be got away before they lost condition. On account of this state of things, the Prime Minister said, he had asked the Imperial Board of Trade to take as much lamb as possible, telling them that the beef available would go later. This they agreed to, though the lamb was not used for the troops, but was put on the market. mostly in London. When New Zealand had got rid of the lamb a request had come to the effect that fat stock should be allowed to be exported to New South j Wales. This State, by the way, had overj exported to England,"hence the trouble. The Prime Minister said that he could ; not do anything of the sort without a I serious breach of faith, to which he could j not be a party. The position was that j people who had bought cattle for export , should have made themselves acquainted • with the position before speculating in i the food requirements. Members agreed that the Prime Minister's reply on the question was to the point, and it was resolved to write thank ing Mr. Massey for the information.

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