MEAT DISCUSSIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 11

MEAT DISCUSSIONS

LEADERS' WORK PRAISED BOARD CHAIRMAN RETURNS SATISFACTION WITH AGREEMENT A tribute to the work of Mr. Coates and Mr. Forbes at tho meat consultations in London was paid by Mr. T. A. Duncan, chairman of tho New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, who returned by the Now Zealand Star yesterday after attending the discussions in an advisory capacity. "It was absolutely necessary that the leaders of tho Government should have been present at the negotiations," said Mr. Duncan. "Both Mr. Coates and Mr. Forbes appreciate the farmers' difficulties and they were able to watch carefully tho interests of the Dominion producers and to conclude an agreement very satisfactory to the Dominion." Mr. Duncan was accompanied to England by Mr. J. Eraser, general manager of the board. Mr. Eraser will return in about three weeks, having delayed his departure to study distribution and marketing arrangements in the English provinces. Mr. Duncan left Auckland last evening for Huntervillc, and he will attend the annual meeting of the board, which opens in "Wellington on Thursday. Trend of British Policy

The allocations arranged for New Zealand meat were very satisfactory in the circumstances, Mr. Duncan said. The political air in Great Britain was full of talk of levies and how far New Zealand would bo affected in the future it was hard to say. Britain was undergoing a change in its trade policy. The old free trade idea was passing and its place was being taken by protection.

A large amount of foreign lamb and mutton and bacon had been lifted from the British market as the result of the Ottawa and other agreements. Recently, South America had sold a portion of its surplus supplies on the Continent at a considerable sacrifice. Mutton had been sold and delivered to European countries at under 2d per lb. If this surplus meat was again permitted entry to Britain under existing circumstances, there might be a serious fall in Smithfield prices. This explained the anxiety felt by the Dominions as to what extent the levy policy would be developed. At present it was essential to the meat producing Dominions that there should be some protection at least from foreign competition on the British market, if a payable price was to be maintained for supplies. Lamb Trade Expansion

"The goodwill of New Zealand's meat products stands high in Great Britain," said Mr. Duncan. "Apart from unforeseen circumstances, the Dominion has nothing to fear in retaining its leading position as long as it maintains qualit; .' One marked feature of the meat trade is the taste that the British consumer is developing for lamb, at the expense to some extent of mutton and beef. Imports of lamb from all countries have risen from about 6,000,000 carcases to 18,000,000 carcases in the past 20 years. During the last four weeks of my stay in Britain the amount sold for consumption was 1,900,000 carcases." A factor which assisted sales of lamb was tho returning prosperity in Great Britain, Mr. Duncan said. The improved conditions in Britain were very noticeable and were reflected even in the meat distributing trade. Shops in tho south of England wero now more attractive than formerly and the goods were better displayed. Mr. Duncan said the regularity of New Zealand's meat supplies gave the Dominion a great advantage over its main competitors, Empire and foreign. One aim of the Meat Board was to keep tho name "New Zealand" prominently before the consuming public and less attention was now being given to provincial names, such as "Canterbury." COUNCIL AND POLITICS MEETING POSTPONED MEMBERS TO HEAR MR. SAVAGE In order that members might attend the policy speech to be delivered in the Town Hall on the night of September 9 by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, the New Lynn Borough Council at its meeting last night decided to postpone its next meeting from September 9, the normal date, to September 11. A communication was received from the Labour Party inviting members of the council to tho meeting and detailing the arrangements made for the special accommodation of local body members. Several members remarked that the date clashed with that of the next council meeting and suggested that it be postponed. Authority was given tho Mayor, Mr. G. Lawson, to request Mr. Savage to indicate in his address what policy the Labour Party would adopt in regard to the payment of rates on State-owned properties. MARSDEN ELECTORATE POSITION OF MAIN ROLL fBY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT! WHANGAREI, Monday The Marsden electoral roll contains 10,014 names, as against 10,131 at the last general election. A total of 2152 names wero purged from tho former roll, while 2035 new names have been added. The supplementary roll already contains about 300 names. Tho supplementary roll in 1931 contained 1326 enrolments.