THE MEAT SUPPLY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 25

THE MEAT SUPPLY.

Sir Thomas Mackenzie, speaking at the Cold Storage Ice Association, said there was an impression that the dominions had been exploiting the consumers in the Mother Country in connection with food prices. This was. unjustified. New Zealand's meat contract was fixed at the same price as in 1916 in t>rder to enable meat to be retailed at considerably below the present prices, which were from Is to 2s per lb for mutton and Is 7d per lb for lamb. The British authorities had explained that they had for some time been paying Is Id for American meat. It was never New Zealand's intention to sell her meat at a low price in order that big prices might be paid to Americans for meat.

Sir Albert Stanley (President of the Board of Trade) informed a deputation of British meat importers that he could not consider the question of a duty of id per lb on imported meat. He sympathetically heard suggestions as to easing the restrictions, but declared that the time had not arrived for complete freedom from control.