3

H.— 38

purchased by the Imperial Government shall have preference of shipment over meat killed subsequently to the 30th June, 1920. This amendment to the original agreement has been accepted by all freezing companies throughout the Dominion with, one exception, and correspondence is now being exchanged with that company regarding the matter. Another important variation, of the original agreement has been in regard to the payment for meat which up to June, 1918, was made only when shipment had been effected. During that month, in response to representations which had been made by the Dominion's representatives in London, an authority was received from the Imperial Government to make an advance of the sum of £3,000,000 against meat in store; and a distribution of this amount was immediately undertaken, payment of 75 per cent, of the value of all old season's meat being made to those companies holding such meat, and the balance apportioned pro rata over all companies on the basis of the quantity of meat held. This latter payment represented 42-91 per cent, of the value of the new season's meat in store. In September, 1918, a further telegram was received from London authorizing an advance of 75 per cent, of the value of meat in store after it had remained therefor a period of six weeks, and immediate arrangements were made to give effect to the authority. The payment of this advance has proved of inestimable benefit to the various freezing companies throughout the Dominion on account of the accumulation of meat in store, and some idea of the assistance granted may be gained from the fact that on the 31st March, 1919, the outstanding advances amounted to £4,772,033. The authority to permit the shipment of mutton, and lamb to Canada in refrigerated space available in steamers now trading with that Dominion has been continued, and several shipments, principally by Auckland companies, have been made under this arrangement. The total quantities of meat purchased and shipped from the 3rd March, 1915, to the 31st March, 1919, were— Beef (quarters) .. .. .. ..2,452,259 Mutton (carcases) .. .'. .. ..8,392,329 Lamb (carcases) .. .. .. .. 9,864,344 Other meat (in 60 lb. carcases) .. .. .. 254,549 The total payments for meat to the 31st March, 1919, including storage and advances, amounted to £32,869,318 2s. 4d., which was distributed as under : — £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. 2,750,870 12 0 Poverty Bay .. .. .. 3,448,313 6 6 Hawke's Bay . . .. ..3,481,884 0 10 Taranaki .. .. .. 1,323,001 8 7 Wellington .. .. .. 9,897,561 14 6 North Island .. .. 20,901,631 2 5 Marlborough .. ..' .. 262,243 18 2 Nelson .. ~ . . 142,112 11 3 Canterbury ... .. .. 7,057,771 11 11 Otago . . .. .. 2,408,518 10 9 Southland .. .. .. 2,097,040 7 10 South Island .. .. — 11,967,686 19 11 Grand total .. .. £32,869,318 2 4 The quantities of meat which had either arrived at destination or were en route as at the 3.lst March, 1919, were— Beef (quarters) .. .. .. .. 2,433,430 Mutton (carcases) .. .. .. ..8,269,155 Lamb (carcases) .. .. .. .. 9,758,719 The balance is accounted for by quantities of meat then on board steamers loading in New Zealand, and by losses in steamers " Clan MacTavish," " Rotorua," " Westmoreland," and " liurunui." The work of inspection, grading, and checking weights, and the certification of statements furnished by freezing companies in respect of meat in store, is carried out by the Inspectors of the Live-stock and Meat Division, Department of Agriculture. The respective quantities of meat shipped from each port from the commencement of the requisition to the 31st March, 1919, are set out in the following table :■ —