NEW ZEALAND MEAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17871, 28 February 1920, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND MEAT

SHIPMENTS TO AMERICA. (Pbe United Press Association.) GISBORNE, Fobruary 27. Tho steamer Armagh is duo at Gisborsj, on Tuesday next from Brisbane to load 35,000 carcases of lamb for New York. The cargo will be Imperial Government commandeered lamb, which evidently has been disposed of to America. WANGANUI, February 27. During a public discussion on tho meat glut Mr W. J. Poison suggested that a probable market might bo found in the United States for Now Zealand's surplus meat. The Prime Minister dissented, expressing the view that every pound of meat sent to America would bo so much more ammunition for the trust to fight colonial producers in England; and he went on to sav that it now transpires that tho freezing companies of the dominion have been advised 10 ship n.eat, principally lamb, by the Northumberland to New York or Boston, space for the various freezing companies having been allotted by tho New Zealand Shipping Committee. THE CONGESTION AT HOME. IMPERIAL GOVERNMENTS REPLY. (Pxb Ukited Pbsss Association .) AUCKLAND, Fobruary 27. Replying to representations from the Prime Minister, tho Secretary of State for the Colonies cables to tho effect that the increasing congestion in tho ports and cold 6torcs_of the United Kingdom is caused by unavoidable delays in the return of requisitioned ships to their owners in the early months of 1919, and by labour troubles. From now on until summer tho supplies of Home-grown meat will be much lees important, and tho consumption of mutton and lamb will normally inoreaso. Arrangements have been made for larger quantities of Australian and New Zealand lamb to bo placed on the market. A large sale of Now Zealand lamb has been made to America, and endeavours are being mad© to develop this market. The possibilities of making sales on tho Continent have not been overlooked, but the) Continental nations prefer beef to mutton or lamb. Tho matter of tho importation of meat into France is being taken up with tho French Government. Ho hoped the Government would issue a categorical denial to tho statement that preference ha s been shown to tho shipment of supplies from South America. During the year endeavours have been made to charter American and Italian insulated steamers for the Now Zealand trade, but without success. His Majesty's Government recently found it advisable to renew the contracts in force during tho war for tho purchase of the exportable surplus of Patagonian mutton and lamb in respect of present killing season, whioh ends in April. 1920, the amount involved being about 25,000 tons. This purchase was mado with tho object of protecting, as far as possible, tho supplies of Australian and New Zealand mutton under the control of tho Imperial Government from competition by freshly-killed meat exported from foreign sources. Tho steamers employed in conveying this meat are of limited capacity, and not suitable for diversion to Now Zealand. Tho Imperial Government is most anxious to avoid expenditure for storage in New Zealand, and it is to its interests, as much as to those of New Zealand, to put an end to the present congestion.