NEW ZEALAND MEAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3265, 11 October 1916, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND MEAT.

Whether as a result of the recent meeting in Christchnrch of farmers, pastoralists, and others interested in the price of New Zealand meat, much good will result is a moot question. The crux of the trouble seems to be that while Dominion farmers had made a sacrifice to prevent Home people being exploited it unfortunately availed nothing, as others had intercepted between the consumers — the civil population in England—and the colonial producers, with the result that no commensurate benefit resulted by selling the Dominion output comparatively cheaply. It is the speculation at this and the other end that annoys the Dominion farmer, not so much perhaps as the price paid per lb by the Imperial Government, although certain sections consider that a higher per lb price for meat would obviate the trouble considerably. Be this as it may, it is anticipated that there will be an advance in meat in the near future. The motions which were carried at the Christchurch meeting shed some glimmers of light on the matter, and are on lines which we have consistently advocated so far as meat control is concerned —" That this representative meeting of North Canterbury sheep-farmers, 'while offering no objection to the commandeering of their meat for the purpose of feeding the troops, are firmly convinced that its handling opens the way to enormous profits being made by speculators. They feel that while the sale of British and foreign meat is untrammelled, the New Zealand farmer's interests are being grossly neglected. They therefore recommend, in any new contract with the Imperial Government, an advance of at least Id per lb being paid for all meat commandeered for Imperial purposes, and the mode of disposal of surplus meat not required for the troops reorganised in such a way that unless the Imperial Government' can assure the producers of the Dominion that it is in a position to exercise control of all imported meat, the surplus should be placed on the market in open competition." "That tin's meeting, representative of the meat industry, views with alarm the past dealings with the New Zealand meat surplus, and Sir T. Mackenzie's explanation, and *that the Acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. James Allen, be asked to cable the English Prime Minister for his assurance that steps will be taken to prevent unreasonable individual profits in the future." If the Prime Minister can achieve success in the meat market at Home and allay the suspicions of producers at this end that some men are making fortunes at their expense, he will earn our everlasting gratitude. It should be a happy solution if we in New Zealand could rest satisfied that the surplus meat was disposed of either with benefit to the British public or to the Imperial Government, and that all speculators were barred, and possibly then the matter of increased price would not have been raised. The price, as pointed out by Mr M'Quecn recently in Southland, was not his grievance, but that a group of men had taken their place as exploiters. At present the consumer and the producers were being exploited. If this was remedied, as a grower he was satisfied to continue to sell at the present price.