MEAT “ HOLD UP.”

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 24

MEAT “ HOLD UP.”

The following appeared in our Second Edition last week :

DOMINION AND “BIG FIVE.” LONDON, September 12. The Pall Mall Gazette gives prominence to what it describes as New Zealand’s “ hold-up ” of meat, and publishes details of a dispute between New Zealand and the “Big Eive,” based on statements Inade by Armours’ representatives. The Pall Mall Gazette says that several hundred thousand sheep and lambs are lying rotting in storehouses in Christchurch instead of being sent to the London markets. The Pall Mall Gazette features a letter from and an interview with Armours’ London manager (Mr Cabell) alleging that one reason for the high meat prices in Great Britain is the New Zealand Government’s refusal to allow Armours’ to export sheep and lambs, and stating that possibly the New Zealand Government had been unduly influenced by middlemen who resented Armours’ competition, inducing an embargo on several hundred thousand carcases. The Pall Mall Gazette does not vouch for the accuracy of the statement, but adds that the 'explanation is plausible. Tho article outlines the history of the United States Government’s intervention in the matter. NEW ZEALAND’S POSITION EXPLAINED. CHRISTCHURCH. September 13. Referring to the Pall Mall Gazette’s statement, as cabled, Mr W. I. Carney, of Armours’ (Ltd.), Australasia, gave an absolute denial to the statement that several hundred thousand carcases are lying rotting in New Zealand cold stores. As a matter of fact, about 360,000 carcases were in store in New Zealand, but these were only from the killing of the season just ended, and it would be ridiculous to sav that in such a short time the frozen meat was perishing. This meat had accumulated in the freezing stores since the Minister of Customs, acting under the unrepealcd provision of the War Regulations Act, had refused Armours a permit to export meat. Mr Carney said that he hopr.d when Mr Massey returned to New Zealand things would be straightened out to the satisfaction of everybody. A representative of a large freezing company said that the cabled message was obviously absurd. As far as he knew, thore were only 300,000 carcases in New Zealand cold storage, and when the exportations of frozen moat from Argentine were taken into consideration that amount would have no effect in reducing the meat prices in Great Britain.