THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 123, 17 February 1921, Page 4

THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

POST-WAR OPPORTUNITIES VIEWS OF EX-CONTROLLER The New Zealand frozen meat industry was the subject of an interview with Sir Thomas Robinson on his arrival in Auckland, by the Rimutaka from London. Sir Thomas said his chief object in coming to New Zealand was to make the acquaintance of the primary producers and commercial men, with whom he did so much business during the war, in his capacity as Controller of Meat Supplies under the Imperial Government. He said it was at the request of Mr. Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, and Sir Thomas Mackenzie that he fiad decided to spend some tinw' in New Zealand before continuing his tour to Australia. Sir Thomas Mackenzie and he had frequently discussed ways and means of turning to the best advantage of producers in New Zealand, the opportunities created by the abnormal times through ivhich the Empire was passing. He hoped to discuss with the producers the advantages ivhich New Zealand’s primary products had gained during the war. No one could have dealt with such immense quantities of. New Zealand produce as passed through his hands during the war without acquiring a fund of information that would bo of great value to those concerned in this business. New Zealand producers and shippers should realise that a considerable task as well as great opportunities, lay ahead of them. It was, of course, beyond question that New Zealand produce, while the war continued. reached European markets in an inferior condition, when compared with the. degree of excellence that characterised its pre-war standard. This wae unavoidable, despite all that was done to minimise, the effect of the difficult circumstances., under which the export trade was conducted. The discontinuance of careful grading and the necessity for telescoping carcasses, and the fact that the meat was sold before being shipped, combined with tho tact that the meat was unquestionably carelessly handled, tended to the deterioration of the meat. Added to this was the indiscriminate manner in which it was disposed of in Britain on the basis that "a pound of meat was a pound of meat, no matter where it came from?* All this had tended to lower the reputation of New Zealand meat on the British markets, continued Sir Thomas, and in order to regain the preference it enjoved prior to 1914, it would he necessary' for shippers to exercise the utmost care and discrimination in handling their produce. If this were done the frozen meat from this country would have no difficulty in securing the higher prices buyers, were willing to pay for the better selected and more carefully h“’! dled obtainable from>Ncw Zealand before the "sir Thomas observed that New Zealanders. might attribute the conditions of the meat lie had described, as inferior to tho Government control. Perhaps it had-not been realised here that in to win the war control was necessary- Personally, he thought i- was to he regretted that the control was not discontinued as soon ns the f ® r it ended, but when Government departments were once set up and placed in cLarge of anything, they were very slow to recognise that their existence hod ceased to be of public advantage. It was just a ouestion whether this matt had been wisely managed and deaß wih with sufficient sympathy and frank: gard for colonial interests.