THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 23 



duced there would come forward, as hitherto, for sale in the 

 open market on shippers' account. 



" If the Government were in this way to guarantee these 

 army orders at fair prices fixed up year by year for five or 

 seven years (or so long as the grain guarantees continue) fresh 

 supplies of meat to compensate for the prospective Home 

 shortage would doubtless be assured by the end of that 

 period. 



" The Empire-grown meat taken over by the Government 

 would be limited to the army's requirements, so that in normal 

 times the total army supply would be produced within the 

 Empire, and the lines laid down for a speedy expansion of 

 these supplies in any sudden emergency. 



" The proposal might involve the making of special contract 

 arrangements between the British Government and the Govern- 

 ments of the overseas Dominions, each colonial Government 

 taking steps to distribute its orders amongst the various estab- 

 lishments within its territory, and to regulate and encourage 

 the production of meat suitable for these contracts. The pre- 

 servation of freedom of action in respect of all meat not included 

 in such army contract would be an essential part of the scheme, 

 if it is to appeal to British independence of character." 



Complementary measures include : — 



(a) Systematised improvement in the quality of stock in 



accordance with the needs of the British and other 

 European markets ; 



(b) Combination between producers and shippers, enabling 



long contracts to be entered into ; 



(c) Standardised grading ; 



(d) Regularity of sailings ; 



(e) Concentration in selling ; 



(/) Pooling of shipping, financing, and insuring facilities. 



The memorandum concludes that the presence of the 

 American Trust in Australia and New Zealand is a source of 



