NEW ZEALAND MEAT TRADE

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND MEAT TRADE

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERIAL LEADERS. THE QUESTION THRESHED OUT. SHORTAGE OP INSULATE© SPACE. WELLINGTON, August 15. A deputation representing- the Farmers' Union, the A. and P. Associations, the freezing and other producing organisations waited upon the Prime Minister and other Ministers to-day with reference to the position of the New Zealand meat production and export trade. Th e speakers pointed out that there were seven million carcases now in store, and we were within four months of the next season. The deputation thought that everything possible had been done from this end, but they were not satisfied that more could not be done at the other end, and they suggested that if New Zealand meat were sold separately at Home, instead of being pooled with American meat it could be sold more quickly. The pooling position was unfair to the New Zealand meat trade now and in the future. The danger was now that the commandeer would end with a largo quantity of Imperial meat in store, and that that would have to be shipped before free meat could be got away, and in consequence the freezing companies would refuse to buy and bear the expense of storage, thus leaving the way open for operations by the American Meat Trust. _ The deputation suggested that a committee of producers be sent Home to place matters before the authorities. Mr Massey, in replying, gave an exhaustive explanation of the shipping position and the difficulties which faced the Imperial Government, also the efforts made to obtain relief. He quite agreed with the suggestion that a committee should go Hr~ne, a,<? it would be enabled to obtain a full insight into the difficulties of trade. The position now was not so bad as some people thought. By the end of the year it was hoped the meat in store would be reduced to 4,000,000 carcases, so that the accumulation at the end of the commandeer would not be so great as was expected. He also agreed that New Zealand meat should be sold sepai-atelv at Home. Sir Joheph Ward said the position had been gone into exhaustively at the Imperial Conference, and it was greatly to be regretted that the debates there could not be published. He pointed out the difficulty that arose from the loss of refrigerating steamers. They were now short of 47 steamers, with 3,900,000 carcases capacity

on pre-war shipping. The position wai boina improved, but ho thought it micrht bo necessary to obtain an extension of the commandeer until the shipping position was clearer. Mr Massey ' said he expected no difficulty in arranging with the Imperial authorities that when the commandeer was ended the new season’s meat should be shipped at the same time as the remainder of the Imperial meat. Sir Joseph Ward said there was no foundation for the report that the store# in the United Kingdom were full. Ho expressed astonishment that the Imperial authorities had not permitted the publication of the reports of the Imperial Conference of last year. Reports and documents Taid before the conference w T ould contain everything the deputation ought to know. The delegates drew out the fact that a profit of 3d per lb was being made on th* transfer of New Zealand moat from ona British department to another department. Mr Massey and he made a very strong protest regarding this profit, ivhich wai being used to balance the very high price# that the Imperial Government was charging for American meat. When the present contract with the Imperial Government expired the stores would be half full of meat. If the producers and exporters could get freedom then, with enough ships to carry on their own business under competitive conditions, they would be far better off then they could be under Government restrictions. _ They would be able to get better prices than they would get under the commandeer system, but there would be a trouble to be faced when the Imperial contract ended. The stores would contain some four millions carcases of meat belonging to the British Government, and it was not likely that the British Government would allow, meat that had come fresh into the stores to receive shipping space ahead of meat that had accumulated. Yet if storage space and shipping were not available for the stock that would come along in the ordinary course in the following season there would be a fall in value of sheep throughout the dominion, and this fall would interfere with industry and finance in every direction. He would not be surprised if in the meantime the British Government made another and higher offer for New Zealand meat, in order to bridge over the period before normal conditions could be restored. Ha thought New Zealand should continue to make representations to the Imperial Government, and try to get the works free in time for next season. . The Hon. Mr MacDonald said that full inquiry had been made-by his officers into the allegation that Australia was being bettor treated than New Zealand. , Australia had no advantage worth mentioning, except on account of the preference given to beef over mutton and lamb. The Imperial Government wanted beef first all th* time. SHIPS EXPECTED SHORTLY. CFbom Ouk Own Coeeksfondbnt.) WELLINGTON, August 15. Indications of an early improvement in the shipping situation, with special reference to the frozen meat industry, were given by Mr Massey to-day. Replying to a deputation of farmers, Mr Massey said that to reduce the amount of meat in store to the amount of four million carcases by the end of the year some two million carcases would have to be shipped during October, November, and December, and so far as ho could see it would be possible to do this. Eight ships per month for the 'three mouths would be needed, and present indications were that tfie ships would be available. Doling August there would be on th© berth the following vessels: —Mahia, Port Pirie, Armagh, Shropshire. Ruapehu, Port Napier, Orari, Otira, Matatua, Waimate, and Opawa Still to come, but dates of arrival not yet definitely known, were: Essex, Mamari, Port Hacking, Durham, Port Lyttelton, Waiwera, Athenicv. In September the following ships were scheduled to arrive:—Karamea, Port Melbourne, Port Victor, Kumara, Hororata, Kaikoura, Ajana, Corinthic, .Tainui, Zealandic, Port Alma, and Port Sydney. SUGGESTED EXPERT INQUIRY. AUCKLAND, August 13. The Provincial Executive of the _ Auckland Farmers’ Union resolved unanimously to urge the Government to appoint expert# to inquire into the whole position of tha meat trade and endeav.our to arrange with the Imperial Government to release dominion produce at a price that will pul it in the hands of retail butchers without profit or loss. Further, to report to tha Now Zealand Government what step# should be taken in regard to the marketing of New Zealand produce after the cessation of the commandeer. VIEWS OF SIR J. G. WARD. WELLINGTON, August 14. Lack of refrigerated shipping is the cause, in the opinion of Sir J. G. Ward, of tho unsatisfactory state of the meat market. Sir J. G. Ward told a reporter that the suggestion to send experts to Great Britain to investigate the whole matter met with his approval. Anything that could be done to relieve the situation should bo done, but the whole difficulty was in regard to shipping. The Government had tried all in its power to obtain extra ship# to relieve the congestion, and had succeeded in getting certain increases in tonnage from time to time.