THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11243, 8 April 1902, Page 6

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

TO THB. EDITOR OF THE PHSSS. • Sir,—lt is scarcely worth while spemding More time in correcting Mr Witty, because the more he writes the more, painfully apparent' becomes- his ignorance on the subject ot frozen meat, and my only consolation is that the information he is now so Rlow.y absorbing will (be of some assistance to him when lie Jiext mounts'a platform to enlighten an audience as to his views on this important industry. Hβ now £ays that surely I must know that Argentine meat is only quoted on a "fair average quality" basis, and not on tiie ' prime quality" as in New Zealand's case. Poor man, his very first statement is absolutely opposed to fact. The frozen Meab Trade Association's weekly cable to the colony quotes New Zealand mutton, Canterbury, Dimedin, or North Island, "fair average quality," just as it does the Argentine, and if only he had taken the troub.e to look at one of the. Association's weekly circulars before writing he would bave saved himself this further exposure of the foolishness of talking and writing of a subject about which he appears to know nothing at all. : ..■■-.: • .

Mr Witty commenced by saying Argentine came out on top of New Zealand ; he now qualifies this by saying ne meant it comes out; on top. of second-class New Zealand meat, an'evasion as ludicrous and as incorrect as most of his'previous explanations. He now also acknowledges he was wrong in saying all their nwat went through one agent, as Tie now admits there are at least three agents. But' it is steer waste of time ;to follow. flimTurther, into.the jnjdst of tine perplexities with which he Jus surrounded himself. If, however, he will read up more of Mr Cameron's reports, and also would talk with some of the inen ; who know something of the trade, savV Messrs Waymouth, Gilbert Anderson, Grigg. :or Borthwick, he will learn that 4ie-is tilting against a windmill, ami also , will learn what he evidently doesn't know, namely, that to-day Canterbury farmers are able to obtain for their fat wethers, either on the farm or at the factory, just about double the money the Argentine farmers can get for theirs", despite the vaunted combination which Mr Witty is so blindly anxious td emulate.—Yours, "etc., : COUNTRYMAN No. 2.