NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1926, Page 10

NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL.

WORLD'S MEAT SUPPLIES

SHORTAGE IN THE STATES. POLICY IN NEW ZEALAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, May 3. Among European nations and the United States the consumption of meat is largely confined to beef, the consumption of mutton and lamb being very small, except in Britain. Thus in the United States the consumption of mutton a nd lamb is only about 3.2 per cent, of the total consumption of meat, while in the United Kingdom it is about 22 per cent. It is believed to be very small in Continental Europe. Since beef is the principal meat it is interesting to learn that th® supply available is ample to meet all requirements, the South American Republics being able to supply very considerable quantities. According to the latest census returns Argentine possesses about 30,000,090 head of cattle, Uraguay pastures about 8,500,000 head, Brazil about 30,000,090 and the' Unipn of South Africa about 9,000,000 head. In all these countries there are ample freezing plants. There are 2H freezing works in South Africa, and another works is in course of erection at Bulawayo under agreement between the Imperial Cold Stores Company and the Rhodesian Government. Last year South Africa exported 9678 tons, of which 6858 tons were shipped to Italy, 2670 tons to France and 150 tons to Belgium. The South African exports are small but they can expand and no doubt will increase, and possibly mutton and lamb may later contribute to the exports, as there are now over 32,000,000 sheep in the Union. Besides the imports of frozen and chilled beef into the United Kingdom, the shipments of live cattle from Canada amounted to 110,868 head, besides sheep. In the United States the population is increasing at the rate of two millions a year, the cattle statistics reveal a steady decline year by year, so much so that in some quarters in the United States there is talk of the possibility of chilled beef being imported during the current year. While it is unlikely that prices will rise to such an extent that importation on a large scale will be possible in spite of the tariff, there can be no doubt the general tendency of things in the States is pointing steadily towards a shortage of beef.

In respect to the suggested sale of the Wellington Meat Export Company’s works to Borthwock’s, Weddel’s Review says: “It is difficult to understand the reasoning behind the policy of the New Zealand Government in regard to the meat trade. In the first place they put the control of shipping in the hands of a Producers’ Board, an act which automatically and permanently killed all competition for that frieght, as obviously no shipowner would invest in steamers where the cargo was subject to political considerations, and how they refuse to consent to the sale of one of the freezing works to a large English company who have the means of distributing the meat in this country to advantage.” ELECTING THE DAIRY BOARD.

This debatable question is far from settled. There is no doubt that all parties favour the ward system, but the matter in dispute is whethen the voting should be one producer one vote, or by the respective companies on a tonnage -basis. The meeting . called to discuss this question and held last week proved a very het one. The Government called the meeting but the' Dairy Control Board was asked to take charge of affairs, and the board interpreted thia authority in a very broad manner.

The delegates to the conference, or at least a good many of them, were naturally under the impression that the conference would elect its own chairman, and decide on the manner of electing the board on the votes of those present. The board, however, had different views. It appointed its own chairman, and further decided that the voting on the question to be discussed should be on a tonnage basis and not on the individual votes of the delegates.

The opposition was directed mainly against the latter, and when it Was found that the board had determined upon this, many of the delegates retired from the meeting. Both parties have placed their views before the Prime Minister, and now it is a case of Parliament deciding the issue. The dairy industry is thus to be dominated by the politicians, and it will prove a sorry day for the dairy farmers. In the meanwhile it is announced that the opposition to the board is about to test the question in the Jaw courts, and an injunction is to be sought to restrain the board from exercising absolute control. A good deal is likely to happen before August 1.