The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4159, 20 November 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1884.

Messes Nelson Beos., limited, report a most return, from their first shipment of frozen mutton per " Turalrinji.* , •'J?he account sales of the whole cargo have not vet come to hand, and therefore tho exact average is not known, but it is .feared the results must make the total anything but gratifying. Notwithstanding the fact that the Turakina landed her meat in perfect condition, and that Messrs Nelson held over the cargo for some weeks in London, in the hope of better prices, the sales did not realise anything approaching satisfactory figures." The depressed state of the market was due" to a variety of causes, namely, (1) a temporary glut in the market; (2) inability of consignees to open up a provincial trade owing to.the intermittent supply ; and, (3) want of unanimity amongst consignees. The cure ..for, tho first and second difficulties'rests with the Ku-.v Zealand sheepfamier. It has so. long been customary to clear off all surplus- stock at one season that it is difficult to see at first sight how it is possible to do otherwise. A little consideration will, however, show that it is impossible for the home trade to bo carried on to the greatest advantage unless a supply can bo kept up during the whole year. In Messrs Nelsons' efforts to" push the trade they have always been met with the question,"" can you supply us all through the .year"? The ..reply has been, "we cannot." "Then" says the butcher, " what is the good of asking us to sell your goods, admitting at the same time that you cannot keep up the supply ?'' Messrs Nelson are perfectly convinced that herein lies the key of the whole matter, and they ask sheepfarmers to keep this requirement in view in making future arrangements for their stock. It is argued that even if winter.supplies are kept up at some additional expense it will result in return- : ing an additional penny per pound;- or os 6d on every sheep exported through tho year. Surely that is worth both trouble and expense. To forward this view as far as possible Messrs Nelson are increasing their buildings with the object of storing a large number of sheep at. the commencement of the winter mo as to relievo any stockowner who cannot find grass to keep his sheep fat. With reference to :tho third difficulty Mr E. M. Nelson writes from London as follows:—"I have done a lai-ge amount of talking in the interest of the"trade among consignees and consignors, and it has .'resulted in this—we must look after our own business by ourselves. Combination , will not come to anything. ■ There is nobody in London interested in the trade as we are, and nobody cares sufficiently about it to take the trouble to develop it. Having arrived at tins point I'have taken 'a'lease of the arches Under Cannon-street station, for meat stoves/ They cover half, an acre of' gibund, having the river as one boundary, giving us perfect facility for' discharging our hulks, and the railway above for: the outward delivery of meat. I have instructed Haslam and Co. to prepare plans for fitting up the : stores ; it will' cost about- £10,000; Your mutton is first-rate, and I intend to make the people have it." -.IThc importance to Messrs Nelson of having stores at their own command cannot bo over-estimated. As at present constituted the London stores arc simply a commercial speculation. With the Messrs Nelson their storesare a means to anond, that end being the advancement of the meat trade, and enabling them to reduce storage charges .to , their constituents. Messrs Nelson inform us that all their shipments during the past season arrived in , London in perfect condition. This fact can well bo mentioned-by them with pride, as thore is no doubt that the difficulties of carrj'ing on the refrigerating business are much greater hero than in the South, both on account of the higher temperature and want of shipping facilities. The shipping, companies have at length reduced their freight to. the extent of nearly f d per lb. This with. a reduction of : [d in "Messrs Nelson's charges for freezing, &c, will" make an appreciable difference in future returns. In the course of a clay or two Messrs Nelson will issue a circular in which much fuller information than that which we have given above will be furnished to tho 'sbeepfariners of Hawke's Bay. ". ;