FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11279, 21 May 1902, Page 9

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

TO THS EDITOR OF THE PBESS. - Sir, —I have been anxiously awaiting Mr Wayuiouth's reply to Mr M. C Orbell's statement, which appeared an your paper last Saturday re "lost opportunity of placing our meat trade on a better footing as far as Cauterbury was concerned," and which is now left for the Farmers' Union to deal with at their forthcoming conference. We have lately heard a great deal about the abuses and corruption which exist in' London, and tho necessity for their removal. I humbly believe that the Canterbury for-, pers have the remedy in their own hands' if they will only combine and stick together. First and foremost, as it has already been pointed out, the Canterbury trade stands on a level by itself, qurite distinct from other ports of New Zealand. Tlwrefore all- Canterbury meat should be put through one channel, from, start to finish.' To effect thia tho remedy could be applied on something of the following lines, of which I give a bare outline:—-The present Canterbury Freezing Companies should amalgamate, or rather a new company on the co-operative principle, should be formed with sufficient capital tor take over their businesses. Buying the meat at a fixed monthly price *per lb at the factories, or freezing on owners' account at option, but insisting that all meat so frozen must be consigned to their London branch for sale; in fact, they must have tbe sole control of Canterbury _ production. Freezing charge., etc, to remain as at present, or lowered from time to time as warranted. A maximum' rate of dividend, say 10 per cent, for shareholders, 2_ per cent, for reserve fund; balance of profits to be divided amongst freezing client- pro ra*U_ The savings in co_____rio_s and working .expenses would easily enable this to be done, besides increaaang -the value of our staple production. Along with Mr Or bell I Isincerely 'hope tha* th© at-ove-named conference will evolve a scheme to effectually cope with the existing evils, and in cpnolusion would remind farmers that this can only be done by theSr supporting one another right loyally.—-Yours, etc, r-T, •_. _ _ __ 4 UTFLE LAMB. Cl_ri_tc_u_c_., May 6th.

TO THE BDITOB OP THE FB_.S. Sir,—Referring to Mr Orbell's fetter in your issue of the 3rd instant, it seems to ba aesua-ed by him that the whole of tha trade can be so controlled as to pass through .one salesman in London. I cam understand how this could .possibly be arranged, provided the whole of the ___ sheep And lambs were frozen and shipped w^bJr g d _.*_{* of b y *• «* Q ™*> but that is not the case. J. it intended to stop the sale cf fat sheep and lambs in tbe colony altogether? Otherwise, how is it possfbfe to compel any shipper, whether a dealer on ___ own account or buyer for a London sale-man, who has* bought and paid a fair price for fat stock here, to sell through a salesman he does not aoprove of? ...■•■, -^ I think that before any conclusion can be arrived at, information on the following points should be placed before the delegates,: — 1. The number of fat sheep and lambs of freezing quality annually sold locally .2. The numbers of same" purchased£) by freezing companies on their own account; (b) by dealers on their own account; (c) by agents for London salesmen.' There is one thing that I imagine has been somewhat underestimated-, by col. oniols, and that is the large interest that many English capitalists have in the Argentine trade. ___cepting any interest they may have in the shipping companies there has been no other opening for them in the New Zealand trade.—Yours, etc. _-.___ _____ SE______' C_-_____ur_b, 6th May, 1902.