EXPORT PROBLEMS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12010, 11 March 1920, Page 7

EXPORT PROBLEMS.

Continued from page 6. branches were both in favour of continning the commandeer until the stores were clear. Mr O P Lynch, Faraparamn, said that they found great difficulty in getting the facts, and at Home there appeared to be a conspiracy of silence, if not of actual misleading. He pointed out that Mr McCurdy, secretary to the Food Commission, had, in the course of one week, made two statements diametrically opposed to one another. In the first he declared there was no glut in the stores, and in the next he stated that the stores were glutted, and that ships with frozen meat were lying at all the porta awaiting discharge of their cargoes. It had been understood that the English people were to be supplied with our meat at the lowest possible price. Instead of that, it appeared as if the Imperial Government had profiteered in a worse manner than even the American Trust. Referring to wool, he said that if our long held product were put on the market it would force down the price of our new season’s clip. Ho suggested that the best way out of the difficulty would be for the New Zealand Government to finance our holdings of wool and meat to the extent of two-thirds of their value, until the stores were clear. Mr A Howie, Waverley, said if the commandeer was lifted now, and we sent our meat Home on a glutted market, the result would he disastrous. Mr O P Lynch asked why had not the Food Controller taken the advice of Sir Thomas Mackenzie to clear out the meat which had been so long in store to prevent further deterioration. Mr E E Fletcher, Mangahu, was convinced that the scarcity of shipping was the root of the whole ' trouble, and ho was sure that the workmen at Home were responsible for holding up many of the ships. Mr J Balsillie contended chat it was the lack of consumption that was causing the glut in the meat trade at Home. The chairman said that a returned business man, who had spent four months investigating the position at Home, had expressed the that nothing would relieve the situation without sufficient shipping was provided. Mr T Moss thought it unwise to bind the delegates, who would probably get more information at the conference and it would be wiser to leave them with a free hand. On the motion of Mr Campbell, seconded by Mr A Howie, it was eventually resolved:— “That it be an instruction to the delegates to the conference to vote for an extension of the commandeer for one year, o n condition that the stores are emptied at a fixed percentage greater than the amount of meat received,” SHIPPING POSITION. The chairman said ttiat one of the most urgent matters to come before the conference would be the question of shipping, and unless satisfactory terms coaid be made with the shipping companies the producers would have to take steps to provide ships for themselves. Mr Lysnai, of the Poverty Bay Freezing Company, deserved the thanks of the community for the bold step his Company had takeu in buying the first ship to carry the produce of their works, but still, if satisfactory arrangements could be made with existing shipping firms it might probably be best in the end, as, undoubtedly, at the rate ships were being built at the present time, there would be eager competition for the carrying of our produce in the near future, and competition would soon bring down freights, Mr A Buchanan pointed out that he strongly advocated the formation of shipoing lines under the control of a board of management, consisting of members of harbour boards and representatives of other responsible bodies. Mr W B Matbeson said that he preferred private enterprise under Hate control. They should first eni savour to make a good bargain with 1 txie present shipping companies. Mr Hodges expressed the opinion that the better way would be to ask the New Zealand Government to float a loan for four or five millions, to which the people should contribute, to bay out the P and O Company. Mr Lynch pointed out that the original £IOO shares in that company now stood at £6BO, and he did not see any possibility of acquiring that line. Mr A Howie thought that if that suggestion were carried out they would be “jumping outof the frying pan into the fire. ” The whole thing would eventually be acquired by the Meat Trust, whose capital was equal to anything, ;; Mr Lynch maintained that the only way was to start shipping companies on the most democratic lines, thrawing their shares open to everybody, and limiting their profits to a payable point. If they could got the working man to take up shares and interest him in the matter, they would have no trouble of strikes. They would then be able to give exporters and importers reasonable freights, and that would certainly cut into the opposition firms. Mr J A McLeavey was satisfied that the only way to reduce frieghts was to start a company owned in the Dominion. Mr O Smith spoke in favour of instructing the delegates to the conference to support a Dominion owned and State aided fleet. He moved in that direction, and the motion was seconded by Mr J Curry and carried. COMMISSION FOR HOME. : il When the matter of sending Home the proposed commission came up for discussion, Mr W B Matheson moved—“ That the commission be sent Home at the cost of the freezing companies of New Zealand.” This motion, however, failed to find a seconder. Several members expressed the opinion that it was unnecessary to send the commission | Homo w'hiie they had Sir Thomas I Mackenzie there'. Eventually,' it I was resolved that the matter of the I commission being sent Home be left to the delegates at the conference if they deemed it essential. It was also .resolved that in the event of Mr David Jones, M.P, being unable to go Home, Sir Thomas Mackenzie be asked to take his place on the com-, mission - The representatives appointed to the conference to he held in Welling ton were • Mr G L Marshall, for the Farmers’ Union, and Mr O Smith for the Sheepownera’ Federation— Manawatu Times. * ■'