"UNWORTHY SUGGESTION."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16025, 17 September 1915, Page 5

"UNWORTHY SUGGESTION."

IMPERIAL MEAT SUPPLY.

EXPLAINED BY MR. MASSEY. £by TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. A statement of the arrangement under which the Imperial Government purchases the New Zealand supply of meat was made by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives after midnight last night. Replying to some remarks by Mr. J. B. Hine, he said that farmers had been represented at the conference at which the arrangement had been made, There had been very unfair statements going • the rounds of the press in regard to this arrangement Bo far as the surplus meat was concerned, it was placed by the Board of Trade under the control of the London Committee, and it put the meat upon the market at the market rate. The suggestion had been put forward that these men were connected with freezing -works and there was a possibility of them arranging things to suit themselves. "It is an unworthy suggestion, and I am going to the length of saying that more will be heard of it, because it cannot stay where it is " said the Prime Minister. He had cabled for information. Members would see that the Imperial Government had recently notified the people of Australia thai" they did not want further supplies of mutton and lamb. What position would we be in if notified similarly? He did not suggest we would not get as good a market for our meat as at present, but if the existing arrangement fell through there would not be sufficient ships to carry the supplies Home. Ships at present were made available by a special arrangement, through the Board of Trade. The news article emanating from certain individuals at Poverty Bay did not help the country in the slightest. It was a most mischievous and injudicious thing.