1920.] Eliott.—Position and Prospects of Frozen-m ade. 
exceed the present carrying-capacity of the world’s insulated ships (even 
assuming a normal rate of loading and discharge), although by 1921 there 
will apparently be a surplus of shipping-space, as the following table will 
show :— 
1919. 
1921. 
Ships. 
Tons Meat. 
Ships. 
Tons Meat. 
All countries 
192 
1,326,000 
254 
1,871,000 
British-owned 
155 
992,000 
201 
1,349,000 
British steamers usually trading to South America, Australia, and New 
Zealand have been since 1915, so far as regards their insulated space, under 
the control of the Board of Trade and the Shipping Controller The rates of 
freight and other conditions have been fixed by agreement between the Board 
of Trade and the shipowners until the 1st March, 1920, and are then subject 
to revision. After the expiration of the powers of the Shipping Controller 
(date uncertain) no control of• -shipping - will-exist, unless meanwhile fresh 
legislation has been passed. When the Board of Trade assumed control, 
two committees, the River Plate Refrigerated Tonnage Committee and 
the Australasian Refrigerated Tonnage Committee, with sub-committees in 
Buenos Aires, Sydney, and Wellington, operated the refrigerated tonnage 
under the general direction of the Board of Trade. 
In the concluding remarks of the committees’ report the following 
interesting paragraphs occur :— 
“ We are impressed by the way in which production in the Dominions 
has developed without artificial stimulus. So far as Australia and New 
Zealand are concerned the future lies with the production of mutton 
and lamb. The demand in the United Kingdom is increasing, and the 
prospects of developing new markets in the United States and Europe are 
bright. . . . 
“ We regard the control or supervision of meat productions in the 
Dominions as a matter for them alone, but in order to ensure unity of 
action by the several Governments there should be frequent intercommuni¬ 
cation. As an example of action in regard to which general consideration 
might be desirable, we would refer to the recent New Zealand Act for the 
licensing of meat-exporters.” 
Copy of this Act (1918, No. 18) is given in full. A large portion of the 
report deals with the meat position in the Argentine and with general anti¬ 
trust measures, but space will not permit me to refer to these. 
In connection with the discontinuance of the “ meat commandeer,” 
it is to be regretted that many of the producers appear to be adopting a 
policy of casting about for some one to throw stones at, and for some one 
who will come to their assistance. When the “ commandeer ” commenced, 
and for some time afterwards, the producers were quite satisfied with the 
prices paid for New Zealand meat, wool, butter, cheese, &c., and especially 
were they thankful for the finance provided by the Imperial Government 
—as well they might be ; but as soon as it was discovered that the British 
Government were making a profit out of their New Zealand purchases a 
howl went up from one end of the Dominion to the other. They forgot 
that if it had not been for the British Government their produce would 
have been worth practically nothing, and this country would have been 
bankrupt. 
