CATTLE AND SHEEP

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16377, 27 June 1927, Page 10

CATTLE AND SHEEP

'l'll J J PATERSON SCHEME. DJMA PPROVED BY .MASTER TON PRODUCERS. Thu application of the Ratersou he home to tbo beei industry' ut New Zealand, ns proposed by the Meat. Producers ’ Board, was not. approved by a. meeting' of aboul -10 producers in Maslerion. The scheme was outlined by Mr. William Derry, a juember of the board, and met with strong opposition from Air. E. T. Dniiiell, who declared that it would draw a sharp line between the producer who paid the levy and the grazier who collected the. bonus on exported carcases, it was pointed out that the extra cost would fall upon the local consumer. Mr. Derry said the proposal was that, all cattle killed for local consumption and export, with, the exception of boneless beef, a. levy of one farthing per pound,, be paid by the grower, and an amount of three-farthings per pound bonus would, be paid by the board oil all exported in quarters. Mr Daniell then moved: “That this meeting cannot endorse the Paterson scheme, as outlined by Ihe Meat Board. ’’ He stated that there was no doubt in his mind that the idea was to create a famine in beef and to dap another £145,000 on to the meat bill of the consumers. The parallel, he said, was that Australia’s butter bill had increased by £OOO,OOO with the introduction of the Paterson scheme. He failed to see how any fresh money could be brought into the Dominion. The scheme, he said, had one point in its favor, it was a sharp reply to the A rid I rat ion Court in ~its policy of artjiiciul wage bolstering. Reviewing tlie position over a period of ten years, said the speaker, it was found that the number of cattle had increased from 2,780,(1011 in .1010 to lyoOisOOlMn .1020, while over the same period sheep had decreased .from 24,780,000 to 24,047,000, a difference of almost a quarter of a million. This decrease, he claimed, was because the pastures was becoming occupied by an unpayable animal. Over the last year or so when beef eat lie were being reduced by starvation, sheep Jigures liegaud to climb, lie felt, that Hie Meat Board’s slogan should be “Grow less beef.’’ Air. Perry: No.

In reply tu Mr. lhuiiell, Mr. I’erry stated' that he had dealt with steer figures only as the marked increase in flujry herds discounted, to some extent, the value of the .figures relating to female e,title. He would never agree, he said, that the decrease in cattle had accounted for an increase in sheep, for it was accepted that every tanner had to run a. certain number of entile to keep his sheep tally up. Tlu; increase of 187,000 dairy cows had, undoubtedly, taken up a. lot of sheep country, accounting largely- tor the decrease. The principle of the scheme was to stimulate the. export trade, and if-exports could not be increased the cities and towns would have to sutler. New Zealand was.putting all her eggs in two baskets, dairy produce and fat lambs, and if either came a cropper in any one season they would find themselves in a .parlous position. A motion * not to approve of the scheme was tjien put to the meeting,, and carried bv 25 votes to 5.