FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14909, 6 March 1914, Page 2

FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION.

DOMINIONS' COMMISSION

EVIDENCE

(FROM OT7B SPECIAL CORK-SPO-BEST.) LONDON, January 23.

The frozen meat market at the present moment is a comparatively uneventful and featureless ono. if the high range of values be excepted. Trade is not fast, but the moderate offerings of meat, both Home-killed and imported, keep prices at a very high level, and so pave the way for what is anticipated to be a dear season. Xew Zealand meat has yet to become a quotable feature and failing this, Australian lamb and mutton has been doing extremely well, and light lamb, havo gone out at high prices, absolutely regardless of their iiuality. South American lambs, which will probably be a more tontii .able feature again this year, when it is expected that exports will be maintained at a rather larger scale than last year, have been making from o\d to Griper lb recently, and they aro growing in supply and importance. There have been •some carcases of Uruguayan lambs on sale, but these, a thousand or so, have no particular virtues. Uruguay, also, has contributed some of the frozen beef to hand lately. It is small, plain stuff, and has l_*e:i pe'ling at prices up to .Ad tier lb, for hinds, and 3_d per lb for fores. Chilled beef lias, been extremely "heap on occasion, as trie market has been loaded with over-supplies. This only illustrate? the feature which must crop up throughout this year at the instance of the Ameri.ans,"who cannot bo expected to seize this opportunity of hitting over producer;-.

News is still awaited concerning the official reception of the small parcel of beef sent recently from Liverpool to New Wk under tbo Linlcy process. I Ins arrived -jeveral weeks ago, and the omnion of the inspo-tinpr offi-'nls ousht to be known by now. The Bureau of Chemistry ww. T believe, poinc into the matter carefully, on it« merits and. ■ consequently, there would" seem 'to be nothing to fear in the ultimate suc-••e<-s of this tinder the Government test. It seems rather strange that tbe mattor should be so loner delayed, but I trust that another mail wil] enable mc to announce that the system has been nns=ed for reiulnr trade into the United States. A.s I have previously statedin these, columns, tho rWtit is ono of ex- | tremo importance to New Zealanders, and n'so Australians. By t,.e way Mr Linlev's .process is nmv fitted on no' less than forty stenms'M'ps. oemr installed on only five in 1007. The rapid growth of tho system is, I take it, one of its strongest re<*o~-»Qiir]atiin-. J n 19)3 no less than 35*".-133 o«arters -were transported from Argentina under the Linley process. A WELSH POTtT. As tho Swansea Harbour Trust is receiving a report this week on the proposal to construct a large cold store at the King's Dock, at a cost of £50,000, it may, I suppose, be assumed that tho joint scheme between fhe Harbour Trust and the London Central Markets Cold Storage Co., Ltd.. has now advanced into a further stage at which the project may be accounted a possibility of the near future. Swansea, whieii will thue secure the posit : on of being a South Wales frozen meat port, approachable at all tides, will no doubt nut no severe competition with Bristol and Cardiff, her Bristol Channel neighbours, and will provide one more instance of the comnet-tion which the provincial ports are extending for distribution in Great Britain from other centres than Loudou. .It will not be twelve months before the vast scheme of cold *tora2e iwnrorcmonts at the London Docks will be an accomplished fact. DOMINIONS' COMMISSION. The further evidence which the Dominions' Commission has been hearing in London has included some further data regarding the frozen meat trade. Mr Gilbert Anderson gave evidence as a member of the Council of the Incorporated Society of Meat Importers, and usefully answered ono or two [joints which had been raised in evidence taken in Australia. • For instance, one witness, a -Mr Bechervatse, who is, I believe, a representative of ono oT tho railways at Hull, had pointed to the lack of cold storage at TiTbury, a Thames dock fourteen miles from' tho City of London. Mr Anderson, of course, pointed out that there was no need for such accommodation. Tho inconvenience of meat being in steamers wbHi discharged at Tilbury was counterbalanced by the fact of their quicker voyago and regular service. BARGES. It was quite a good idea of 3lr Anderson's to meet the criticism mado in one or two quarters regarding Thames frozen meat barges, by giving drawings and the specification of the construction of these insulated river craft. Without my mentioning details, it is sufficient to say that the particulars revealed thoroughly efficient construction. Across tho barges amidships insulate swing doors are fitted, and a double set of hatches is carried. These hatches are covered with two blankets lined with hessian, over which are placed two tarpaulins for weather protection. THEIR REGULAR SURVEY. Mr Anderson was bound to add that the surveying of barges wa s not Carrie-" out on that systematic basis which was to bo desired, but steps, he said, were" being taken to have a regular annual survey by Lloyd's Register. 1 learn that this noteworthy step will be largely due to the insistence of the New Zealand Agents' Association, of which Mr Anderson is vice-chairman, and Mr J. H. Newman, the manager-of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand, is chairman.

SUPERVISING DISCHARGE OF Pl-o_>UC__. A further point dealt with in the evidence of the same witness is worth referring to, and that is the disadvantage of there being no authorised control of tho discharge of frozen produce at British ports, particularly relating to meat coming on consignment to the batiks from the various New Zealand farmers. The suggestion that this is a case where the Dominion officials in Great Britain might step in and organise an ofEciai Governmental supervising system on behalf of the colonists, is an excellent idea, and ono which ought to be forced home by every exporter upon his member of "Parliament to 6ecure its adoption.