MEAT BOARD’S WORK DEFENDED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18939, 9 December 1929, Page 13

MEAT BOARD’S WORK DEFENDED.

MEMBER SAYS THAT FARMERS HAVE BEEN SAVED MUCH MONEY. Per Press Association. TIMARU, December ?. Interviewed to-day regarding the statement of Mr Dickie, chairman of the Patea Freezing Company, concerning the Meat Boat. Mr J. Trotter, who has been a member of the Electoral Committee of the board since its inception, said that Mr Dickie’s reported remarks were full of mis-statements. In the first place the board was certainly not run by Canterbury farmers, for the representation of each island was almost equal. Mr D. Jones, M.P., who was the Government nominee, was elected chairman, and this gave the South Island one more member than the North. “Mr Dickie is evidently trying the old dodge of North v. South,” said Mr. Trotter. Mr Dickie talked about big salaries, but he had tried several times to get on the board. The work of the board called for the employment of experts, and they had to be paid good salaries. Mr Dickie had refrained from stating that the Meat Board’s advertising had put New Zealand meat on the map at Home, and also that all the old abuses had been cut out, and the New Zealand meat went on the market as it should go. Referring to Mr Dickie’s statement regarding the site for cool stores on the Thames, Mr Trotter said that since its inception, the board had tried to reduce the cost of storage in London. Their efforts had been laughed at, so they had bought a site in London. The Storage Board then made an offer to reduce the storage charges. The offer was accepted, with the result that the cost was £50,000 cheaper in the following year. Mr Trotter also quoted figures regarding advertising to show that Mr Dickie had made his statement without any proof. During the present year the board had distributed 29,500 streamers, 82,500 show cards, 18,500 large show cards, 70,500 window discs, 5000 van discs, and 277,000 booklets.