PRODUCE MARKETS

Southland Times, Issue 18983, 18 November 1920, Page 5

PRODUCE MARKETS

SIR THOMAS MACKENZIE’S VIEWS. THE WOOL POSITION. REDUCTION OF THE WORLD’S FLOCKS. NEW ZEALAND MEAT IN ENGLAND. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 17. Interviewed regarding the position of the produce markets, Sir Thomas Mackenzie 1 said he did not view the fall in wool with endue alarm. He looked further ahead into the statistical position, and saw a great reduction in sheep the world over. If Russia were excluded, and very little could be learned about that country, speaking statistically ,the flocks of the world had declined by from 60,000,000 to 70,000,000 sheep since the war. The question of the future of the wool market was, however, a big one, and he did not feel qualified at the moment to express a definite opinion. He had to make up his loss of touch with it since leaving England. Coming to the meat market, Sir Thomas said that when he left London the British Government was getting rid of its meat, but it was not in a satisfactory condition. People, too, had gone off New Zealand mutton. The price had been too high for them', and it had been rationed, so that the consumption was much reduced. People went off eating meat altogether. An initial mistake was made by the Food Controller in calculating on a meat famine. There was no famine. It was all a mistake. “I said so at the time, and with emphasis I persisted, and the price of meal was reduced from 9d to 6d per pound. Consumption was then stimulated, but the mischief had been done. It hung on the Government’s hands, and its condition had not improved.' The reduction was too long deferred. There were, too, unsightly cut carcases to be disposed of. These were inevitable for reasons of economy in insulated space aboard ship and in store, but as I say, a cut carcase vras unsightly and involved waste.” He fully realised the need of alert and well qualified business men to represent the British dominions abroad with respect to the marketing of their products. He was much impressed with Australia’s representative in America He was a fine type of man and excellently fitted for the work he w r as required to do. It was now recognised that such dominion representation must be by good men well backed and well paid. It was futile otherwise for a country to be represented. It. must get the right man, adequately pay him, and strongly support him when it got him. Speaking of New Zealand exports to America, Sir Thomas said he thought lamb would have a good outlet there. It might he as well, too, to insist on a certain proportion of mutton being taken with lamb, but the Americans were not mutton eaters as we were, and this was attributable to the fact that their domestic mutton was not first-class. It was not up to English mutton and our own. Butter and cheese would continue to command good prices, especially the former. There was a world shortage of butter. No one knew what was the state of the Siberian herds, and from Siberia enormous quantities of butter had come before the ■war, but none came now. . The Argentine was increasing its export. Even if cheese did not produce the financial results expected, the makers could swing over to butter. Tliat would pay for a long time to come, at any rate until the Siberian position was ascertained and supplies from that quarter were in sight again.