MEAT POOL OPPOSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17983, 7 January 1922, Page 8

MEAT POOL OPPOSED.

FREEZING WORKS' VIEW. CONFERENCE DECISIONS. NO <OONBIDEE£D DETAILS. [BT m2QRA*H.—PRSSB ( ABFA.JIATION.] WELLINGTON. Friday. A conference of r-sprcsentativets of the freezing companies *:-J held to-day to consider tho proposed! moat pool. Mr. C. A. Do Latour, chairman of tno Gisborne Sheepfarmers' Frozen Meat Company, presided. All tt.a freezing companies throughout tho Dominion were represented, with the exception of the Wairoa Farmers' Freezing Company, Poverty Bay Farmers' Freezing Company, and the East Coast Freezing Company (in liquidation).

The present position of the frozen meat market and tho Government's proposals, were fully considered. The following -esolutions were then passed unanimou..y :— " Tliat as at present advised the scheme is so wholly wanting in considered detail that it cannot be approved. "It is desirable, and tho conference will welcome a reduction in the number of consignments and multiplicity of marks which nave ~rown up under tho prorcquiion.fntß; that this can be done and the companies will ueo every means to effect these reforms if small consignments are no longer _ required by the producers. The companies will also do all in ihei" r >wor to establish volun- '.'. t 'i pot's, ar.ci to rr-sans of w* t t bo pooled. -Kiti-a' '"dl be g'ad to appoint c ' ii.-J'Mi tc confer with any committee of tbu produces, tufi meeting to be hc'l or. January 10, o* with the ./rime linisler, Minister u<" /■..•ricultur'.!, or dt{ rtrr.ent. Such com■nittee would be aV.hcrised to represent the views of the companies as a whole. " Charges can be reduced in hen Zealand, if tho Arbitration Court takes into consideration what is a fair which can be borne by '"ie inducers; p'w if •,he Government approves >he appoint ment of ,v board i» negotiate freig' '& ■ *r. overseas exports. "That proferencß to unionists had failed in practice, has greatly tended to increase the cost of labour, and should be abolished. " That the Government be requested to consider to what extent a reduction railage charges can bo nudo mi 'at stock, frozen meat, and freezh'.g works products genfally, so as to companies to *.>wer their charges.'_ Ihat this reform is particularly noted in tie case of inland freezing factories, "In view of the complexity of the question of tho sale and distribution of meat a board or commirsion should oe appointed by the GoAvnment to investigate in London the conditions of the business, in particular the charges at the London end, and to make recommendations to the Government lor an improvement in the regulation of the trade after full investigation. " The conference still expresses its regrot that a scheme for a national meat pool should have been propounded, unsettling all the existing conditions of trade in New Zealand, without first hav- • .;. Treer.-' 1 iw f.onsid "ration 0-m f'lll iorrouiatioii "That in tU fpftir: of this mec.mg the details oi thi proposed meat poo , which an to bo submitted to the pfl> du"ers' mooting on Tuosday, should be simultaneously supplied to the Freezing Companies' Conference or committee."

CONDEMNED IN AUCKLAND. EXPORTING FIRMS' VIEWS. DISASTER ANTICIPATED. I The proposed moat pool was discuseed yesterday ut e "voting of represent of Auckland stock Mtf station agent:- and others interested in the export of meat, The meeting wub of a private nature, but information regarding it was subsequently made available. After thoroughly discussing the Government's proposals, a resolution was passed to the effect that those present, whose interests were identical with those of the producers, were of opinion thas .the meat pool proposals were impracticable and extremely dangerous. If persisted in- they would probably result in the sai.: .ce of the producers' true interests and general disaster. The- resolution added that, if the Government confined itself to 'a programme the obiectir; tf wlA'h would be to nduce tho W-V chains on rosat and ether produce > .>• *h -ria, and efraiaed <r.<* >.ttem<tv xo nterfex.- -y| aa/.;' ieguadiw. ':& w.e - ! jli?i.-i %, gaib.tions, iwt/ in New Z :'.■ a.-. Uw; United r, *t present. .he sale of &„ Zealand froivn meat, and | v.*ier product:, «#H.a good ". J. ••' be a-, fried in the intfrenta of the producers and Ike country generally. The meeting fur>b<f rwrmnraided the nooling of all small consignment it irx" various works. This is at present being done by som frmr and companies. Discussing \\i» Oowmeal t proposals rabserfUently, repr? Natives of fins m- . ■ rated in the aaeai export trade expressed atK.na disa-M-oval .of ihe scheme. One amnority md that while he appreciated tk Government's efforts as the interests of the producers it must not be forgotten that the slump in tho meat trade was due to the Imperial jvernraent's action in holding commodities for prohibitive pmes, enabling other concerns to unload, inis policy had been adopted in regard to wool, meat, and butter, and had resulted in disThe speaker went on to say that he considered that at the present time it would be «.atal to the interests of the producers to antagonise the distributing firms in England, wlnse organisations and business connections we» the result of years i of labour and aiiterprise, and the investmeat of millions of money. Tho Home firms' clients intfucH Uxi ibotu»nu ß ot retaU meat shop* ?■ -'.rtuting Hai >, colonial, and 10w.,a -eats, uicluiiiig New Zealand a. T>- roc Lcnrs->i the Dominion should realise that tv'r contribution to tho meat supply o' Great Britain was only about 10 per cent, and that they had no organisation for distributing their meal in the event of hostile action on toe part of ihe British meat importers and distributes firms. _ Tne result of a "hold up" of New Zealand meat would give the meat trust and other firms handling other imported meat m opportunity of unloading their stocks, rod "iM result in » tart!:* pnmulation ' •-■' ■■• --iook o? NV.i /&i"*'i (SfiS*- ' :-'" ui: 1 ? l o ! '' poo.''n:j °n-'\ y .'' 'signments, •■ 'omoci 1 b. the t* -m?. a was stated that this had b*»ffl«< ...-g-eui-ly necessary dur i i-viwt years -d was already bo.bg done by compa. ~ which bought meat t'rom the farmers. Close settlement had led to the production of meat in numerous small lines, and it was essential that lots should be graded and pooled in order to have good lines to offer to buyers.