MEAT COMMANDEER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 17780, 31 January 1920, Page 5

MEAT COMMANDEER

TO CEASE IN JUNE NEXT. DIFFICULT PROBLEMS AHEAD. SHIPPING SPACE THE PRIME FACTOR. Some very interesting problems are raised by the decision of the Imperial Government, cabled last week, that the “commandeer” of New- Zealand frozen meat shall cease on June 30 next. The chief factor in the situation is shipping. While the Imperial Government is buying frozen meat, and paying storage charge at the rate cf three thirty-seconds of a penny per pound per month, the question of shipping does not greatly concern the producer. With the restoration of a free market, however, there will be no guarantee of ships to take away free New Zealand produce, while the Dominion stores, at present about two-thirds full of Imperial meat, may not be emptied in time for the next, killing season, and as a matter of fact the present South Island killing season extends for a month or more beyond the end of June. It seems unlikely, also, that the Imperial authorities can restore to New Zealand the market that existed before the war. Meat rationing at Home has helped to affect the market, and even if shipping were available at present to take the free meat, it would be a competitor with the Imperial commandeered meat. SHIPPING PROSPECTS. The shipping of frozen meat for

tne year enaea ivovemoer, isiu, was very much more rapid than during the preceding twelve months. and the shipments as set out in the December Abstract of Statistics were as follows: 12 Months 12Months Nov., 1918. Nov., 1919. Cwt. Cwt. Beef .. 751.546 794,867 Mutton 892,340 7,769,299 Lamb 462,509 980,114 Totals 2,106.395 3,544,230 November, in particular, was a busy month, and the comparative figures w’ere as follow: Nov., 1918. Nov., 1919. Cwt. Cwt. Beef . .. 1,285 57,544 Mutton . 19,510 273.736 Lamb . .. 8.658, 89,081 Totals .. 29,543 420,361 Since last November, however, there has been as lackening of shipments from Canterbury. The Remuera loaded in the middle of November. and apart from a later loading at Timaru there has been no meat shipped from.the province. The vessels in sight are the Port Pirie, which may get in this month, and the Ruapehu, both of which could take a comparatively small quantity of meat. To add to the poor prospect, it is stated that the stores at Home are congested, and that there are a number of boats that cannot discharge in consequence.

POSITION OF FREEZING COMPANIES. Sir George Clifford, chairman ol directors of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, was not disposed tc comment on the position other than to say that it would have been a great convenience if the commandeer could have been continued until September 30, and negotiations in that direction were proceeding. Mr. W. Murray, genera] manager of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, said that in. view <»f the large quantity of meat ia the Dominion the freezing comp*alas - had been consistently urging the continuation of the commandeer for a further period to permit of unrestricted trad, ing next year without the disability of large quantities of Government meat being held at the same time.

“We are not averse to ‘be discontinuance of the commandeer,” Mr. Murray continued, “except that we think it is premature. Any disability, however, will be removed if the Imperial Government will provide sufficient shipping to ensure the stores being cleared or practically cleared of Government meat by the end of the present year. If they can do that no exception could be taken to the removal of the commandeer.”

Replying to a question, Mr. Murray said that there were approximately four million freight carcases in New Zealand at the end of the year. He could say nothing regarding the condition of the stores in England. Everything depended on the situation of the stores when the commandeer ended, and more particularly in New Zealand when the season opened up again. Another representative of the freezing companies said that to ensure for the companies a straight run everything ought to bo out of New Zealand stores by the end of the season, before the new season’s killing commenced. In the North Island, this would be in October, and in the South Island in January. If the stores were fairly full in England. and there was a large quantity of meat in New Zealand it was going to be difficult to find a market tor the new season's meat. It was possible, also, that the Imperial Government might require the whole of its meat before any free meat could be shipped from New Zealand. This was one important contingency. If the Imperial Government demanded priority in delivery of its own meat, it would entail considerable storage charges to New Zealand producers, and it would be much preferable if the commandeer could be continued until September 30, unless there was a large number of ships to take away the meat. At the present rate of shipment, however, it would take five years to clear the stores. Everything depended on how the Imperial authorities were going to treat the Dominion in regard to shipping. A suggestion was that half of the refrigerated space should be available

for free meat and half for Imperial ineat; but in that case they would be on the market in competition with one another. If the Imperial meat was lifted before the new seasor commenced, there need be no anxie ty as to .he price hat the free meat would bring on the London mark SHIPPING FROM HAND TO MOUTH. "The end of June is a long way off,” said a shipping representative. ‘‘At present we are diving from hand to mouth, and although the tonnage available for this month and next mouth, is fairly good no one can pre diet what is going to happen.” He added that recently the shipping position had been fairly good and it might be expected to improve, for there had been a gradual increase in the number of ships launched and the effect might be shown in New Zealand by the end of June. Even after the close of the commandeer, however, the Overseas Board in Wellington would still allot space for shipments Home, as this was consld ered to be in the best interests o the country. There were bound t( be many applications for space !r the next two or three months for dairy produce, and even apples, but as against this there should be a demand from America for Neu r Zealand frozen meat, and if this market were exploited it would mean that a cer tain amount of American tonnage w'ould be available.—‘‘Times.”