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CHAPTER VI—COMBINATIONS IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY. 
(i) Producers’ Control Movements. (a) New Zealand. —The 
New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board was set up in 1922 ; Is is 
of considerable economic interest as an attempt on the part of 
producers to control the marketing of their produce. 
The immediate cause of its formation was the slump in prices 
during 1921. With the collapse of the market and the knowledge 
that enormous quantities of beef were lying in store and en route, 
fraders in this country did not feel inclined to buy forward. For 
this they can hardly be blamed; the trader is always at a 
lisadvantage in his endeavour to judge the future; he has no 
precise information as to the quantities of meat in cold store 
in this country, his estimate of consumption is, at best, a matter 
of rule-of-thumb, while his information as to probable shipments 
may be seriously discounted by changes in the weather or other 
conditions prevailing overseas. Hence the note of caution which 
characterised the trade during the last six months of 1921. But 
the merchant has always this advantage over the producer—the 
produce must be marketed, and, as the merchant controls the 
marketing machine, so he can afford to wait until the goods are 
near his market before he commits himself to a purchase. 
So far as the New Zealand producer was concerned, his beef 
was being sold below cost and, even for fat lambs, his return was 
only about 41d. per lb. Events during December, 1921, and 
January, 1922, aggravated the situation. The first bids for 
forward delivery were on a low scale and, about Christmas, first- 
grade North Island lambs were being sold at about 7d. per Ib. 
In January, however, a change took place, and prices for New 
Zealand goods began to rise. Merchants who had bought during 
December were able to re-sell during January at a handsome 
profit, though the producers had made a loss in supplying the 
goods. When produce is being sold at a loss, it is difficult for 
producers to realise, at a distance, that they have had a ““ square 
deal,” however fairly the merchants may, in fact, have been 
dealing with them. The New Zealand farmer came, therefore, 
to the conclusion that his only salvation lay in organisation; 
he determined to take effective steps to strengthen his position 
as a seller in the market. The Meat (Export) Control Board was 
accordingly set up, under the terms of the Meat (Export) Control 
Act, 1921/1922, 
The Board consists of eight members, five elected by the 
producers of meat for export, two appointed by the Government 
and one representative of stock and station agents. Though 
control is limited, by the Act, to the export trade and is not, at 
present, extended to meat killed for domestic consumption, the 
Board has the fullest powers to regulate exports and shipments, 
including the right to take over the whole meat-marketing 
organisation in any importing country. Expenses are provided 
for bv a levy of 2d. ver carcase of mutton or lamb and 1d. per