THE FRIGE OF MEAT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9783, 5 October 1917, Page 6

THE FRIGE OF MEAT

VARIOUS PHASES OF PROBLEM SUGGESTIONS WANTED BY MR MASSEY. •Replying in Parliament yesterday to a question by Mr C. H. Poole, M P for Auckland West, with regard to the cost of living, tho Prune Munster said that he had received a large and very influential deputation on the question tho night before, but not ono suggestion had been put forward as to how tho cost ox living could be ro dU Mr J- Payne (Grey Lynn): “They thought they were paying you to do your duty.” (Hear, hoar, and laughMr Massey said that the Government had not finished with tho matA member: ’’l should hope not I (Laughter.) , „ Mr Massey said that tho Government could supply meat from tho (freezing-store at Imperial supply prices: bat, for some reason or otner, the Now Zealand public did not like frozen meat, and were content to go ,to other butchers and pay Id or 2d •a pound more for what was called “Hash meat.” He did not understand the prejudice; as, if he had any preference at all, it was for the frozen meat. He proposed to submit certain recommendations to Cabinet very soon by which the people in each of tho larger centres would have tho opportunity of buying frozen moat over the counter for oaah at tho price at which it was sold to the imperial Government. . A member; “Cant you do it in the country districts too? ’ Mr Massey: “The difficulty is to get the men capable of managing such a business.” BUYING LAMB ON THE HOOF QUESTION BY MEMBER FOR NAPIER. Mr J. Vigor Brown, M.P. for Napier, asked the Prime Minister whether hoi had noticed that some dealers were buying lambs ahead at ninepenoa a lb on the boor. He did not say that was a cheap price, but those people were looking to the future, and why could not the Prime Minister do the same and commandeer sheep in some of the districts and lot the people throughout the country have moat at something) Tike a reasonable price. The Government had got to do something. Others were able to do something. Mr Massey said that, if the facts were as stated, somebody was taking a very, serious risk; for it was by no means certain that the whole of the lamb was going to be exported from Now Zealand this _ present season, because —to put it in tho mildest possible form—shipping was not going to be plentiful. There was still a lot of meat in the freezing stores, and he would repeat that, so far as shipping space was concerned 1 , be of had flrst preference; wether mutton came next, then ewe mutton, and lamb last of all. Indeed, it might be necessary to prevent lamb going out of the country after, say, February. COST OF STORAGE. Mr G. Witty (Eiccarton) said that he had just received u. telegram stating that the Government had sent word that the butchers had got to pay about }d a lb storage on the meat obtained from the freezing stores. That amounted to over 3s 3d on a 601 b sheep and 2s 6d on » 401 b carcase of lamb though the butchers were supposed to get meat at the same price as was paid by the Imperial Government.

Mr Massey replied that the Imperial supply moat was subject to a storage charge of three-32nds of a penny per pound per month ajfter the first month. A lot of the meat had been in store several months, and the Imperial Government had paid that storage on the moat, and consequently chat amount had to bo paid -when tho meat was sold out of the stores. He hoped that tho difficulty would soon disappear so far as meat was concerned, because instructions had been given to get the beef stopped ns soon as possible, and the place of that beef would be taken by meat on which storage had not been paid. • Mr Witty said that several shipping companies had sent away lamb from New Zealand under the ■ excuse that they could not get at the mutton Because it was 'at‘the back of the stores. But now the companies were going "to the back of the stores for meat upon which storage had been paid, instead of taking, the beef and mutton at the front on which storage had not been paid. Mr Massey: “There are difficulties. It is tho usual practice to send away the meat flrst stored; but I know that in some cases what the hon. member stated has been done. I will refer the whole question to Dr. Reakes (director of the Live Stork and Meat Division of the Agricultural Department) .” THE WESTFIELD COMPANY.

Mr J. Payne (Grey Lynn) stated that an American company at Westfield had recently brought a vessel to New Zealand and emptied their own “freezer” . there. If it was possible for on American company to charter vessels in that way why, ho asked, could not the Government do the same? .... , Mr Massey did not think; it probable that anything of the sort had taken place. It Had not taken place since his return; and if it had taken place in his absence he that it would have been reported to him. His information was that the Westfield Company was a British company. Air Payne: “Their head office is in Hew, York.’* Mr Massey: “Testy’s are a British firm.”' Mr Payne: “And they removed their head office to New York to escape income taxi” *Mr Massey: “I am informed that they are a British firm, who have temporarily removed their head office to Slew York for financial reasons.” Mr Witty: “To escape taxation!” Mr H. G. Ell (Christchurch South) : “Is it not possible for the public to bo supplied with meat that has not paid storage charges?” Mr Massey; “I* believe it is possible and 1 will have inquiries made.”

Mr W. T. Jennings (Taumarunui) asked what had been done in_ regard to opening State meat shops iu New Plymouth and Wailara. Mr Massey said that ho had not yet received a report from the Board

of Trade. They had got some very urgent matters to deal with at, present. Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) asked whether it would not bo possible for the Government to arrange with the Gear Meat Company, at Petone, to supply the Hutt district with meat from' their stores at the Imperial supply price. A large number of his constituents, he added, worked in the Government, departments in Wellington, and had to take a motor vehicle out to the Hutt at night. That meant extra expense to them; and, to offset it, he asked the Prime Minister to see that his department was authorised to sell all meat at bedrock prices without any additional expense for storage. Mr Massey replied that he did not know what it was possible for the Gear Company to do. He had heard that they were reasonable, and he would ask the Board of Trade to go into tho matter. Mr Poole: “It is said they sell cheaper than off the Government hooks.”