MEAT DOWN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 561, 16 July 1909, Page 5

MEAT DOWN.

THE GLUT IN THE LONDON MARKET. MINIMUM PRICES. NEW ZEALAND AND ADVERTISING (By Telecraph.-l'ress Aaaoctallun.-OopyrlEht.) (Reo. July 15, 8;20 p.m.)' Uontlorij July 15. The meat importers' . agonts state- that tho ngrecment cabled yesterday, restncting selling puces, is thus far working smoothly Inclement weather ib the chief causo of the glut of lambs; as, tho market is* over-sup-plied to tho extent of a million lambs and a million sheep, only fine weather can save the situation Tho morcase of prices was arrauged because tho butchers, feared tho'competition of small street salesmen with borrows or stalls The retailers aro winning to pay an extra farthing m ordei to Loop tho costormongers out Mr. H C Cameron, New Zealand Produce Commissioner, speaking on behalf of the High Commissioner (Mr Hall-Jones) at tho meeting of New Zealand and Australian importers, said that New Zealand was anxious to assist the trade and would circulars largely, but ho doubted the advisability of spending £2000 or £10,000 ,in advort'smg in newspapers. In this connection it was suggested at tho meotins that it would bo unfair that New Zealand should bear the cost of advertising which would benefit Australian and Argentine- equally with New Zealand importers. In answor to a question it was stated that mne-tenths of tho present stock of i lambs camo from New Zealand. [The explanation of tho above message is continued in tho following cnblegrarn publulled jestardnv "A meeting of New Zealand and Australian meat expoiters, Mr. Gcoige Goodsii presiding, glut in meat markot, ind the seuons decline in prices. Without exacting individual pledges, the meeting approved tho principle of abstaining experimentally 'dunne the n»xt ten days fiom soiling Cunteihury (less than 3Gb) undei Id , 00 to 421b, undei 3Jd,, 42 to 501h, under 3}d , choice North Island jnd Southland, a farthing less in each grade Ml Goodiu said; lie (lid not believe' these fixtures would check sales He estimnted that a milhou cai cashes weio now stored It was icrolved to n«k tho New /,ehlaud Government to undertake sjstcmatio ad verhswg of meat, during; tho continuance of tho glut, in the interests of tho Dominions trade | t ' HOPE FOR A REVIVAL. THE FARMER AND THE CONSUMER. (Rec. July 15, 11.10 pm.) London, July 15. The Colonial Consignment Company entertained the prcsa delegates. Sir Montague Nelson oppressed tho hope that tho meat 1 trade would soon revive Ho pointed out that the consumption of meat m tho United Kingdom had increased from 701b to 1211b per head in 25 years. Mr Mac Donald (of tho' Chrwtchurcli "Press") considered that it was desirable that the farmers of Australasia should be brought closer to tho British consumer, through ono agenoy if possible The fowei firms between them and the British consumer tho better ' W Ward (of the Sydney "Ddllj Telegraph") oxpresed tho hope that infutur> Press Conferences all the great entorpnse with which the Dominions aro ldcntifiot would receive duo recognition "', , LATEST,PRICES (By. Tolccraph.-l'resa' Association.) 1 \ ' Napier, July 15. The CC. and D Company has cabled -the following report — meat—Tho market tor beet is oas,er Hindquarters declined Jd , and foreign in Quotations Hutton—Canteibury, 3}d , Napioi, Wellington, and North Wand, 2Jd Lamb—First quality, 32d., second, 3Jd Beet hinds, djd , lores, 2]d. ■ky'j ,-S:; ;; y \\ , :.;\ ; 'K , :(By,i|roloßVaph.--I'ress ■',';- W;-!^ ■■'■■■'■■■■: • ;' '■■■■■ ; Auckland,: Jply 15. : . A promirient local: butohe'r. ;. expressed-.;..'the opinion-that the glut in .the, London meat mar-; ! ld»t woulikbe only .temporary, thpugh.,the posi.tion'was'miways'largely -aft'eoted. by\ Argentine shipments.?' New Zealand lamb had always;held: its own, and on account ; of it? superior quality ■there was no fear;of it.over'being displaced.ln the local market the price'-of ; live stock;has, hardened;.very considerably during, .the . last month,''Vr; ..:v!'. : :;;. -,'.> ,!'';'.!■ --,■;! ;,'- ; ;- ; ;.>--;~ !. : .!,!<:.' CIRCULATING ■ • ;.;-;f(By.Xeleßraph;—l'res3 Association,!;-/i^V; ; j ,! :;!.-. :! ;. :'■ V Christchurch, ; J\uy;15,'. !: The cable. ; message from .London published this' morniug ; With'regard,-to"!the glut -on'; the London "meat-market was. read with/interest in-Uhristcaurch. >Mr.' N.-. L.' M'Betti,' acting: secretary;; of tile •'■ Canterbury. Frozen : ,Meat Company,/speaking-.to! a reporter, .said., that; it soehied to liinithat the;'dtcrease;iu- price aaA dhuouiiced by the' : mcssage was. owing'.to the ■fact' that there!"! vras.'.no-"uiouoy circulating:, at Home;' -. that, : at- any. rate, wusV tjio.:;-principal; cause....He felt 'that the price at which,fimau"; meat .was selling;, how. yvas ridiculously below. the necessities bt"the. position. Gordon Wood-. roffe : and.'Conipany,. in 'their■ circular .dated: about six 'iteeks.ago, stated:—.''.';!.'' - '.'■' ;;. '.."The Weakness of sellers 1 is to .a "great, ex-' ' .tent "responsible'for a further decline, in -the, f values ot Now Zealand lambs. ".'Frightened-by; : advices of heavy [shipment's from';■ the. i)6iriinidii,'._ and upt: taking into account increased output,; they Continue to ! force sales 'as' each. vessel.; ar- . rives,;and : ondeavour. to justify■ theirsales'of. to-day by.-taking; a lower price to-iiiorfow.'. This refers.'iuore' particularly to "choice brands, -of .. which' prcsont'. stocks are -by no, means heavy; :-;•! in fact, many;firms:are \vorking , froin'haud-tb-\ :,,'■ mouth until, they' can-" get delivery : : from:-the! - ships,'"'and most of the Cauterburys' that'are; being-niarketcd aro out 6^ves«!s : discharging/ '•..!. 'But'fpr:the,weakness displayed by sellers, there ,■';| is no!,reason.why, Canterbury lambs of' all grades .should.;■ h'otVbe -selling at higher .rates.! again to report consumption for the'-month'!of-May, owing largely .no doubt' ;to'the'lovv prices ruliug.'^;-' 1 .•:.■,;•'■:;., ;■'■.. C"; That' statement,;- Mr. ..M'Betli-said, gave'-a! very! good idea of,wb,at had happened; and .what"..w'ds ; ':happenin| to .a .large", extent now. Up to-the present New Zealand 'had shipped about 1,000,000 more carcasses this year. ' .With increased output and increased weight/farmers, he. thought/ could have afforded 'to take less, and the sale-would have paid .well.' It hadakb to be remembered that large'quantities of Australian lamV vyent into store, because the' prices. asked coiild; hot be obtained,' and he .presumed- that :,the .ni'ajority of; those lambs ■were there .still. •■■'' '.'■ .!'-/';''! ■y The faot'was that buying' jjowers'.at the other end were less! tljaii: they wero, last year, and .there was: also rne'at' on the market. '-.. In the oirounistahecs, lie-thought. that J.New ..Zealand could have-afforded to, take a: reasonably lower" firice. .The prices iiovv,-however, were hopelessy .below the ;vilue. of. the Sheep.:. There had' n6yer.been'9Dntoiit:of Now-; Zealand, a finer lot iof.iamb than 1 went'this year. It was on the, .heavy side; most of. It was very heavy; but. his .experience Wis .thnt,..whether;.light;.of.'-, heavy Was sent, it was always:weight which v was'.:not 'sent that vvas wanted.- .Jtost farmers! fjnided by human: nature, felt proud when '.they, turned out heavyrwe'iglits, Jt vvas ; against their prini ciples to send out produce before it { had'reached what might bo called the. pink of condition.,There;was no. doubt, he added, that some '.•■' kind of combination such os had been tidned, in the cablegram ''-should have ! the effw.t ■of steadying things. It had been, tried beforel but it fell through because it was not adhered to. It was a-pity, in view of-'the quality of Hio meat, sent hw'ny this year, to learn of a ftuggestioh of'throwing it away on the London inarket. Ho had had 25 -years' experience of the frozen meat, trade, and he'had never known ' ill! any other year such splendid quality in practically the whole pf : the output.'