OUR LAMB IN U.S.A.

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 271, 10 August 1920, Page 5

OUR LAMB IN U.S.A.

MUCH APPRECIATED

i FETCHES 1/6 WHOLESALE

A BIG DEMAND

The reception given recent shipments of New Zealand meat in America i 3 described by Mr. G. IT. Tolhurst in a letter to tho Editor. Writing from Chicago, under date of June 23, Mr. Tolhnrst says:— . .

"It lias doubtless been common talk in Now Zealand for some months that several cargoes of 'prime Canterbury' have been offered for sale in America. It will therefore lie of interest to many peopk to know something of the way in which these lambs have been disposed of.

"To understand fhis, however, it is necessary to know something of the American methods of handling meat, ana tho tastes of the people in the various centres of industry. Chicago is the great distributing point. From it railroads stretch all over tho Western States. They bring tb:> farmer;' products to tho Chioago packers. Other railroads lead east. 'These carry Wie dressed meat and prepared foods to the Eastern cities of tho Atlantic Coast.

"There are also many packing plants in -the Western States also continually tending heavily-laden trains of chilled ■meat to the Eastern markets, and when these plants havo more meat on hand than iJhey can deal with, they rail it to Chicago to be cured and kept till required. It would seem a long way to send lambs from Auckland to tho Bluff to be killed, yet many California spring lambs travel 2000 miles to Chicago, over the Western railroads, before they reach the butcher—just because the Chicago people like fresh meat, and arc prepared to pay for it. It is Hierefore obvious that Chicago people, having always had a plentiful' supply of fresh meat., have got used to it, and we must therefore look to other cities to sell our frozen lamb. "Now wo tiurnto New York and the cities close by it. They have net got a supply of live stock sufficient for their needs, and aro dependent on Chicago for their main supplies. Every night heavy trains of refrigerator cars pull out of Chicago on their 1000-mile journey io New York. On tho way they havo to stop at .least twice for re-icing, for the contents of those cars must not get much wanner than 32 deg. Fall. This journey takes & days as a rule, and in hot weather, and during periods of congesj'.Kon, this transportation 6y6tein is cceasionally unable to take earo of the refrigerator cars, and the meat is spoilt. This means that tho people of New York cannot get fresh meat, and they havo been often forced to fall back on frozen. They have therefore learnt how to handlo it, and prepare it, and- so we find that New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, and other cities of the East are more suitable for ilhe sale of New Zealand frozen lamb. "When tho first'eargo of New Zealand lambs arrived in Boston, refrigerator cars, were waiting to take them all over the States, for, though thero was a better market in the Eastern towns, which were handier, the packers decided to scatter New Zealand lambs all over the States, and so from Boston they went to Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis-, and even down to Oaklahonia. It had tho result the packers wished, for it knocked the bottom out of the live sheep market.' which fell two or three cents per lb. in a few days. "A friend of mine who has lust returned from New York has told me that nearly all the restaurants there are using New Zealand lamb, so a huge number must be used there every clay. "I do not know exactly what price the British Government got for' the lambs. Rumour says lOd. to 10H, but perhaps. Mr. Editor, you can supply the exact figure. However,.l do know the wholesale selling price, of our .lambs, in. some of the principal markets. In Chicago they had an exceptionally even line of lambs, and-tho price was. 2S cents (17d) per lb. wholesale. In New lorK prices varied a little, 30 cents .(lSd.) per lb. being about the price of prime lambs in good condition. ■ "This price may seem high to JNew Zealand people, but the packers were soiling goods that were well, worth tho money, and my only regret is that the New Zealand farmer could not have a share in this profit, instead of the American firms. However, they bought it fairly, after *re had sold it to the British Government, and it must be said that tho lambs made a very good impression in the States. "The lambs arrived hero m splendid condition. They were a grand lot, probably some of the finest of this seasons output. The butchers here were astonished at tho wonderful quality of the meat. Most of them had never seen such a big line of first-class lambs liefore American lambs are not to bo compared with ours, and I can say this quite apart from-my own judgment, because eo many buyers and butchers have remarked on the shape, condition, and appearance of the lambs. "The third cargo to arrive in Ainenca this year was unloaded in New York on June 1, bringing the total number oi lambs to 500,000 (five hundred thousand). The fact that these can be sold here at such a high figure, at a time when the cold stores in' England are full, shou be very satisfactory to the New Zealand farmers, and I look forward to seeing more New Zealand lambs-coming over here, as soon as the Government restrictions are removed, for it would empty the cold stores in New Zealand and help to restore our credit in America. NEW YORK "fiLOBiS" MEAT DEAL \RRIVAL OF FIRSTNEW- ZEALAND CARGO.

Under striking headings, the New York "Globe" on May 10 Inst announced the arrival of the first Now Zealand meat cargo, for which it had contracted. It Sa '*Thc astounding news announced Saturday that 'The Globe' would immediately put on sale 290,666 pounds ot the fanciest New Zealand lamb ever ottered to American consumers at a saving oi from 12 to 14 cents a pound has caused a panic in the local markets. 4ven at the present crazy wholesale nriccs which Americans have bad to St to in tho «ff of gouging now victimising a patient, lowering publie this New Zealand lamb, because ot s'supe'b cmality, wmild be the best buy within reach. At the terrific sniasi i price ot 12 to 14 cents a pound,, t becomes a phenomenon far-reaching m its Sum upon all the other swollen dislocation of the market.' Of course it means disturbance o he Plans of the profiteers. Of con™ it means organised opposihon. h it the lamb is here. Jt speaks for itscU. M finalitv will amaze even tho ol<i-timei» who thii 1 they know what is meant by Moo- grades. It will be on silo in the establ shnients of a group of retailers bv to-morrow or not later than Wcdne - &y I hope to be able in to-morrows 'Globe' to announce the names and adof the establishments .that Im c had the courage and initiate, to get info lino on this biggest food deal of utcdern times. . ~ "Bier? Yes. Big in volume and lis in significance. Twice as big as the total production of all Canada. "The cargo of the s*. Armagh foi 'Globe' readers consists exclusively ol lamb. The second shipment, now en tho water, due to arrive here J ay 23, will also consist exclusively of ami). But all future shipments will also include, in addition to lamb, the finest mutton New Zealand can produce. "The entire deal covers 30,000,000 pounds and involves an investment of more than 7,000,000 dollars. lis significance lies in tho fact that with one blow it smashes profiteering prices from top to bottom of the meat industry and establishes a fixed figure for future operations for a contracted period of seven months, covered by bonds and all the other fool-proof devices essential to steadiness and stability."