NEW ZEALAND MEAT AT HOME.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11751, 27 November 1903, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND MEAT AT HOME.

IHE STRENGTH OF PREJUDICE

Jr John Ingram, of West Oxford, who recently returned from a visit to Great Britain, makes some interesting observations on the state of the New Zealand neat market at, Home, in » letter dated the 11th of this month. Mr Ingram notes with satisfaction that during hi* absence from the colony -pnuaewortUy efforts" libtb been made "to •tart a much-needed company" (the Brilish»w Zealand Meat Mid Produce Company Limited) "for the disposal of our p odwe in the Old Country." After wish »g the renture evtrv sliced, and udermg to take • fow share;, Mr Jrigiaiu continues as follows: — . , , •■lt iM'tne.l to mc on inquiry, that vested interests mc so strong ia tuglaiid, that only a strong company. »iih peiity ot capital, and energetically worked, could »uke a «!«**• of such a project. One ■rrinus drawback that iioght militate "aiiuuwt the success of opening shop", _» the smalt supply of New Zealand Ixcf m ■iirht at present, compared to the supply of mutton and lamb. 1 lind in bcotland that two pounds oi beef are sold to every pound of mutton. I think this ai»o applies to England. Ths better class «■! enstomers, whoso wants your company de-li-es to m«t, would rrquirc to be supplied with beef as well aa mutton and lamb, as few families ewe to deal with two butchers at one time." '•ft is furpriaing," nays Mr Ingram, "what a d,ad set tho butchering trad* makes against our meat. As an msluace, 1 know of a firm who, with other things, sold butchers meat, and who undertook to se',l New Zealand mutton and lamb. They went to considerable expense advertfsing it, but they did not sell much, until they discovered that tho two butchers' employees of the firm were advising those who came to purchase the New Zealand meat to purchase Home, meat in preference. The firm did not dismiss the men, knowing tho trade's P re J udlce - but put up another counter, and sold the New Zealand meat from it, putting a man from the provision trade to dispose »f it. This man sold three pounds for rvery one the butchers sold. Another prejudice difficult, to surmount is that a great many people are afraid to be seen going into" a shop that, sells foreign meatonly in ca.*a their neighbours might make a talk about it, so universal are the- prejudices against it. As to butter and cheese, you will find no difficulty, as it is favourably known, and there is no prejudice against that claw of foreign produce." *In various parts in Scotland, the grocery and provisions trade had for disposal iv their shops loins of American fresh pork, sent direct, from America, chilled. It appeared very clean, and nice-looking, and sold very readily. Tliw class of shopbfepera might take up live, sale of New Zealand mutton and lamb, and deal with it successfully, as well as fresh pork, but to induce them to take up tho business it would be necessary to supply them with carefully trimmed joints daily, where there would be no lons in cutting up the joints, md made easy to Jiandle. This might be done in a central shop in each large town; the trimmings could easily be disposed of at good prices to cheaper restaurants. This plan, df curried out successfully, together with the opening of butchers' shops, would get over the difficulty of the small supply of beef. Beef would bo too bulky ond awkward for the provision and grocery trade to handle, but nob so the mutton and lamb.

Mr Ingrain adda that when in Glasgow be had a loin of New Zealand lamb, ''Eclipse brand," which was very good. He mart had a leg of the same brand, but it was fonnd 'to be tough. On inquiry he discovered that the Teg had not been properly thawed. He presumes it is the intention of the Company nob to send out any meat that h nob properly defrosted.