THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1918. MEAT DISTRIBUTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 8 February 1918, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1918. MEAT DISTRIBUTION.

There has been considerable perturbation ".among the fanners of New Zealand over the manner in which the surplus meat supplies, i.e., those supplies not required by the Imperial authorities, are distributed among people engaged in the meat trade in the United Kingdom. Practically the whole of the frozen lamh, and a considerable portion of .the ewe mutton, it may be mentioned, is disposed of for consumption in the Home Country. In the early period of the war the surplus supplies were disposed of by nomination. That is to say the purchasers could nominate whom thov wished as agents for the home distribution. Naturally enough the representatives of the various Meat Trusts—whether _ English or American —nominated their own firms as distributing agents. As a consequence, these firms were atfle to enter into unfair competition at both ends of the world with firms whose rami, fixations were not so extensive. A vigorous agitation was set up in Now Zealand against the system of nomination, with the result that Lord Rhondda announced some time back the abolition of the system. The change, however, did not meet with the approval of those identified with tho huge combinations of wealth, and the system has now been reinstated. To the amazement of a great many producers, it was announced a few weeks back that Mr Cooper of the firm of Sims, Cooper, and Co., had been attached to the Food Controller's Office, and that an advisory committee had been set up, composed largely of representatives of the big meat firms. Lord Rhondda may repose the most implicit confidence in the new distributing body. That confidence, it must be plainly stated is not shared by the producers of tliiDominion. The task of distribution should, in the opinion of the gre.it majority of our settlers, be entrusted to men who have'mo connection whatever with the large British and foreign meat concerns at present operating in the United Kingdom. It is suspected, whether rightly or wrongly, that the meat supplies of the United Kingdom are controlled by wealthy organizations which intend exploiting both producers and consumers as soon as a favourable opportunity presents itself. This suspicion is not based upon imagination or conjecture. It has been created by a- close study of the operations of meat trusts and combinations over a. period of years. Apparently the New Zealand Government is powerless to interfere in the meantime. But when the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward go to England they should investigate the whole position, and come back prepared to legislate in such a way as will prevent the financial octopus from fastening its tentacles upon one of the most important industries in the Dominion, It is not sufficient for responsible Ministers to say, as they have been saying in the past, that they will keep a close watch upon the operations of trusts and combines. They must, if they desire to retain the confidence of any considerable section of the producers, take such precautions as* will prove an absolute safeguard to 1 the interests of the farming community.