TO ASSAULT THE MEAT PROBLAM

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 680, 3 December 1909, Page 10

TO ASSAULT THE MEAT PROBLAM

v - - A AND CANNING. If tho joint wiodom. ot many minds can improve the marketing of oui meat, it seems likely that , very eoon that improvement will come For the demand for a nonference of tho eiecutive heads of tho freenng Companies of New Zealand is becoming louder Tho demand comes, not on'y from outside sources— which might portend npthmg—bnt from insido the mdustrj, ihd theie is evident a very etrong recognition, among somo of those who are host ablo to ieel the need, that tho complex problems of tho meat market should be jointly assaulted The demand foi a conference has been voiced by tho Hon T Macken \zio, as an lntoiosted on'ookci thinking of tho national good, and it his been reiterated lately bv men inside the industry in Canterbury, Gisbome, V/ellington,' -ind Auckland The de mafcd is all the sharper this tear, perhaps, because the London eenson just closed hns boon ratßer disastrous 111 eomo quarters, to hopes of paying a big dividend What could a confeienco do 5 Well, that is ! tho verj question that the conforenco is ie quired to answer There are some who think that continued action could bo successful even to the extent ot opening retiil c New Zealand meat shops at Home But the general weight of opinion of those who favour the conference 11 foi something moro fnoderite, more immediately accessible, and less likely to estiange existing Home interests fcoveral "leaders' havo visited Biitam thip scison, including the general manageis of both ihe Gear and Wellington Meat Export Companies and 110 doubt if a conference could onlist their co-opeiation they would be able to suggqst ways in wmch mutual good dould be eftectcd The canning ot meat has been mentioned as a practicable subject for discussion , It, is proposed that various meat companies should undertake to can certain quantities of beef and mutton, bqaring one common New Zealand label but marked with a letter to indicate tho i factory in which it was packed. The common label, it is pointed out, would euablo New Zealand factories to jointly tender for arnsy contracts. With the promised development of defouco and with tho steady growth of a pieference for colonial' goods for Britain's army and navy, tho outlook for meatcaiuimg is ceitamly -woith consideration Tho Imperial α-ithontiosjiavo already expressed a willingrcas'to receive a, joint tender from New Zealand , ' »\" It is suggested as a fair thing that the New Zealand Government grant subsidies to meat companies, on condition that stipulated quantities of canned >mcat should be kept always in l stock: This.would bo available on sudden calls foi camp use, 01 foi emergency in case of vat, if it happened Zealaa'd troops were suddenlyoftered foi'scivice abroad. . Canned mdatj of cotuse, remains good foi many years, and it propei ettorts wero made to find ordinary mnrkets foi the. older stocks whenever the new make was icady to take ifs place, there, would bo little loss fiom deterioration It isprobablo that the vcij eiis.tence, Jo£ , largo supplies übtild often attiact older-, and a gonerallj improved demand ,for the canned article miglrt roasonablv bo expected to follow The canned tiado is appaicntfy still suffering from tho ddium of the Chicago meat scandals, and somo strong effort appeals necessary to restore completo confidence Tho whole question must appeal to the com mercial instinct* of tho sheep and dairyfanners, becaiiw of the outlet it affords foi tho dairy cows 'that are continually offered as meat but are not primo enough foi export, or for tho old ewes wnich are too fat or ugly , for • export , in Carcass Possibly a profitable, uso even for the unwelcome "httlo strangers" ' which cdmo'rnlo tho dairy herds every voarmay bo found in canned veal Perhaps it is true that there is no demand for canned mutton, us some people sa>, or for canned veal,',or for much more canned bcef'at a price that pays. Hut until a meat conference has properly and fully discussed it, wo can, it seems, never really know how stand our prospects m this direction, or man> others Possibly when Mr. "Millward (of the Gear Co ) arrives baplt, somo definite move will bo made