MEAT TRADE MENACED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14985, 12 August 1919, Page 6

MEAT TRADE MENACED.

CONCERN OF FARMERS. Farmers m thp Wellington provincial district, as veil as m other parts of the North Island, are greatly alarmed at the serious danger which threatens the meat industry of" the Dominion, owing to the want of insulated shipping (telegraphs the Auckland Herald's correspondent from Masterton). With a view to discussing the position a special meeting of ! the executive of the Farmers Union \v;<s ! held >at Marton, there' "being delegates! present from all parts of tho province,! as well as up the Main Trunk line. Mr. Hugh. BurrolL chairman of the | Federated Freezing Companies and chairman of directors of the Feilding Far- j mers' Freezing Company, moved : "That ■ m view of the sey.Cous position likely to arise at the conclusion of the Imperial commandeer of New Zealand meat, as set out iiii a. statement recently prepared and published by.Alr W. Poison, the cooperation of the farmers' freezing companies m New Zealand is earnestly requested to bring »pressure to bear on the Government to act up a' committee of j expert producers familiar with the meat business, both from the farmers' and freezing companies' point of view, to proceed to England to investigate the position at Horfte. and, "if possible, to arrange- for- the future distribution of >ur meat." Speaking to his motion, Mr Burrell said that- the position was gradually growing worse. They had been told from time to time to expect more insulated boats to lift the meat m store, but they had not come. Mr Poison gave 800,000 carcases a* the amount that should be lifted m July^ whereas the actual amount was 415.000. He contended that something had to be done quickly, otherwise the producer* were faced with a great calamity and won'! be practically driven right into the ay.us of the American Trust. Such a disar* -r Would reflect on the New Zealand tra.'e. POOLING SYSTEM CONDEMNED. Mr W. Poison, of Wanganui, who :s regarded as one of the best authority.* m New. Zealand on the meat queatii n, addressed the meeting. He said that m the first place he could 1 not agree with the suggestion that everything possible had been done at this end. He believed the Imperial authorities were m full sympathy with the New Zealand producers and would meet them half-way if they hnd tbe position properly explained to them by men who "knew what they were talking* about. As the result of pooling the meat at the- other end, New Zealand meat at '7d and 8d per 1b bad to- compete with American meat which cost Is 3d. This aspect badnot been sufficiently impressed on the Imperial authorities*. They had been hammering awa y at the "wrong end of the stick," asking for moiy ships. Mr. Poison expressed himself as being strongly opposed. to the commandeer for another twelve months, as it would only prolong the agony, and, m any case, it was stultifying those concerns which wer 0 genuinely* anxious to develop the European ma/kets for the sale of meat. AMERICAN COMPETITION. Mr Poison said one very serious aspect was that the Americans hnd their eyes on the meat business, and their opportunity was coming. Certain offshoots of the Meat Trust were forming new branches, and companies. Ono had a capital of £33.000,000. and another a capital of £2O,O0O".0OO. They • were out to exploit the European markets, and particularly Great Britain. With ffiat prospect before them the freezing com, panics would bo very char v about buying meat. Possibly they might take •nto store for the farmer and hold it at hig risk, charging him storage until they could ship it. Then the farmer would have to go to the banker, and it would not b e known what the meat would be worth m twelve months. Consequently the banks would be disinclined to make any advances on meat. The Americans would then como along and say: "We have the money. Sell your meat and you can have the" cash to-moiy row. What would the farmer do? 6 With their experience of fanners, what would the answer be—the trust would be operating at both ends if steps were not taken. The whole question was very complex, and needed a lot of consideration. The solution was to go Homo to headquarters and put the case fairly and effectively before tho -Imperial authorities. Mr Poison concluded a telling speech by referring to certain personal obseri vations he had mado m Queensland m [respect to th 0 - harmful results of the [American Meat Trust. A long discussion followed, m which farmers were united m the opinion that something should be done promptly. Tho resolution was oarried, and a. depiitation was appomtedto proceed to Wellington to represent the matter to the Government.