NEW ZEALAND LAMB AT HOME

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 91, 11 January 1929, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND LAMB AT HOME

NEED FOR MORE ADVERTISING PROMISING MARKET FOR DOMINION Dominion Special Service, Auckland, January 10. “I think of the time when it was difficult to get 2Jd. Per pound for our mutton, and. often half of that price had to be returned in insurance and other claims. We had hard work to obtain 3|d. for our primest lamb, and that was subject to the same disadvantages as far as charges.were concerned. I am speaking of 1898,” said Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who arrived in Auckland this morning. Sir Thomas said that the markets at Home were never more promising than at the present time. “New Zealand lamb stands on its own,” he commented; “There are hundreds of English people to-day who put our lamb on a par with the best English product, and as a cold dish many prefer New Zealand lamb to any other. “I think, however,” he continued, “that more advertising is needed, and I see no reason why the Dairy Board and Meat Board should not be brought under, one control. The economies that would be effected under such a policy would enable more money to be utilised in advertising. All the early battling in connection with frozen produce is to-day bringing an abundant harvest. I may say that I am connected with a company constantly selling meat, wool and other produce, and I am able to get an inside view which an ordinary visitor to the Old Country can never obtain. Tlie market is liable to keep up as the world’s flocks are diminishing. This applies largely to the Argentine, and to Australia to a less extent perhaps, but that country is periodically affected by droughts that tend to decrease flocks.” Referring to the Argentine supply of beef, Sir Thomas stated that the position in regard to foot-and-mouth disease had improved somewhat. A commission had visited that country from England to investigate the position, the Argentine producers having made the announcement that they could keep up a constant supply to Britain without any risk as far as foot-and-mouth disease was concerned. The report was being prepared when he left London, and he was not able to say what conclusions had been arrived at. He knew that the Argentine authorities had gone to all sorts of trouble to make the stay of the Commissioners pleasant.