THE MEAT COMMANDEER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17654, 2 September 1919, Page 5

THE MEAT COMMANDEER.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —There is an aspect, of the Meat Commandeer which deserves attention. It has been stated that "black spot" and mould have been discovered in some of the large quantities of meat now stored in some of the New Zealand Freezing Works on behalf of th 3 Imperial Government. The pressure on these works has been so great during the past two seasons, that it has not yet been possible to ship the meat that has been longest in store; some of it has been there for a long: time, and has iio doubt deteriorated during that long period. The clearing of this meat from the works as shipping becomes available, will ' resul't'ln large quantities of it being placed on the Home markets during the next twelve months or so. The marketing' of this long stored meat may have a very serious effect on the future demand for our frozen meat at Home. The consumers who find the New Zealand meat is (by reason of this long storage) not up to the usual quality, will, acquire a . prejudice which it will take a long time to remove, and which will most probably seriously affect Home prices when the Commandeer is removed. I do not know what can best be done to minimes the danger I have indi[cated, but it is a serious matter and should be taken into consideration by the freezing companies and producers at once, lest a great injury be done to the, frozen meat industry in this Dominion. According to paragraphs in Home papers, there seems to be serious disorganisation in the handling of the commandeered meat at Home; and whilst ft has been stated that there are large stocks in the frdzen stores at Home, Glasgow papers of June last show that the shortage of meat there was then so acute, that the butchers were compelled to close their shops. The great delays on the Home railways, and consequent deterioration of our meat, are also complained of in Home papers. It is said that butchers in Cumberland and Westmoreland have been penalised (in one case for a month), by having all supplies of fijesh meat stopped,' because they would not accept frozen meat-, their reason being that customers would not buy it, and the consignment to them (from Liverpool) went bad on their hands.

I do not wish to be unduly pessimistic, but the matters I have mentioned are certain to prejudice the market for our frozen meat, a market which has taken years to build up, and which has been fostered by careful grading at this end, and close attention to the handling of the •meat from the freezing works here to the consumers in the United Kingdom. If the Home Government continues to exact high prices for the long stored commandeered New Zealand meat to bolster up their American purchases, the effect will be disastrous to the producers in this Dominion. —I am, etc.,

C. L. DUIGAN