FROZEN MEAT.-MR. NATHAN'S SCHEME.

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 114, 15 May 1895, Page 4

FROZEN MEAT.-MR. NATHAN'S SCHEME.

TO THI ICHOR. Silt— l think the feeling in regard to Mr. Nathan's scheme is that " there is something in it "; and, as everyone is interested in the aubjeit jn>t now, perhaps you will allow me to disonss it in yonr oolumns ~Y our oironlation is increasing so much on the Coast and elsewhere, for obvious reasons, that, if you oan give me spaoe, it may bring the subject up to the minds of a great many in nhose interest any soheme to raiee the price of stook iB of much moment. '1 ho stumbling block is of course tbe Government guarantee. If that means any part of the management falling into the honds of the Government, I sbonld Bay it wonld be fatal. But if stookowners were prepared to give a security more than tufScient to meet all liability as to interest, perhapß that difficulty could be got over. It is obvious, however, in this case, that legislation ia neoessary to give Buoh seonrity, and unless there was a very general feeling in its favour, it would be unfair to place any additional burdens npon ttockowners, who already have enough to do to make ends meet- indeed, I am afraid many of us don't even manage that, at present prices. Under the Loans to Local Uodies Act Government lends at 5 per oent. for 26 years, and perhaps soino modification of this principle might be adopted. Bui other trades might want a similar advantage, and possibly with as much right as the frozen meat trade. Even if this, or some suoh proposal, were adopted, I do not quite see, unless it were optional on the part oi stockowners to become liable for a turthei tax upon sheep, and perhaps on cattle, that it would be fair to levy a tax on al: without their sanotion. Conld it not be left for those stookownerß who agree tc come in to do so, and if a sufficient numbei agreed all over tho colony to make th( necessary security something in the naturi of a speoial rate? This would' hayo to b< carefully gone into, because if a large trati were established, and bad the effect ol raising tbe prioe of mutton, would not tho?i not giving security benefit at others' ex penße? But the plan wonld have this ad vantage— that it would not interfere vritr present companies in any way, and il would leave th m either to join or nol as they thought fit, and yet not inter fere with their present bueincss, whicl the colony has no right to do. But there are many other difficulties that presenl themselves. What about the permanency ol the trade, for instanoe P Is it not possiblt that in a few years we shall have a live meal trade established on -such a basis as to b< more profitable than freezing? Is it nol within the bounds of possibility that insteac of fattening our sheep on pastures they wil' be shifted in a forward condition and topped off on the voyage Home? Ihe live meal at pi nsent shows np more favonrably thai the first attempt at freezing did. I remem ber the first trial Mr. Mort made from Syd ney, whioh resulted in total' lobs, as th< freezing on board ship failed, and the muttoi was thrown overboard. The live meal trade has this advantage,, that not onl] do you get rid of your sheep,bnt alvo of you: produoe to feed them.Qn.tha.yoyaKe.Home It would indeed be a revolution if our fatten ing were done on the wide ocean instead c hampering us on our farms. For by gcttinf rid of fattening Bheep on the farm we shoulc have more sp&oo for tbe remaining stock A friend lately from Home says that they cai realise 16s a. head in tbe Argentine by livi sheep delivered in london at present.. If on the other hand, the future trade is to bi in chilled meat, then the freezing worki could be utilised, hue a dominant live tradi would leave all the invested capital a lofs and yet the tax would be still there, an< would have to be levied, be oanee there vroulc be no profit in tbe trade. Bnt probably evei if tbe shipment of live stook is made a sne oess, there would be still work for freeziu) companies for many years to come. Again another contingency outside of our control 1 he tendency at present at Home ia for far mers to call out for Protection. Supposini this is acceded to — rather a remote con tingency, perhaps, but not impossible (vidi reornt legislation in the Cape Colony)would not this seriously hamper our trade I have mentioned such difficulties beoausi obstacles, if net disousaed, cannot be over come. But, in the meantime, are then not other means at our disposal that woul( benefit the trade? Are we not paying tb< shipping companies for too large a per centago upon gross returns for freight The figures Mr. Nathan gives o the difference between freights from Yiu toria and oar own are enough to make m use every effort to reduce them. Wh; ehonld we not have a rednction as well a" others? Ihe other day a telegram cami out that the shipping companies refused Mr Reynolds any reauotion in freights on dair; produce. Yet our freight is considerable more than they pay in Victoria Is not thii a point that Government might be fair!' asked to take np? Mr. Patterson (I thin! it was), when Premier of Victoria, wob able by entering into negotiations with the vaii ons ship Ding companies, or by putting 1 little pressnre on, to considerably re ducß freights. Is net this witbii the province of our Government ? Ou Premier is credited with the power o putting on pressure when occasion requires This would be a splendid occasion for bin to do so. At present we piy a freight 01 frozen mutton and lamb of about -£450,000 besides the dairy produce, and in ronni numbers freight on these items probabl' reaches .£500,000. The rednction of i farthing would mean a raving of .£125,000 (I think Mr. Nathan mentions this point The_ saving distributed among growers is 1 big item. Why should our Treasurer not b made use of in this connection ? It wouli not clash with any of the interests whiol rumour says he has gone Home for. Indeed many would be induced to look mon leniently on his absence if he were able ti secure the reduction of freights. Again another point which is in our own hands Air. A atban has touched upon it, an< has instanced the tea growing companies at an example. Thoy advertise themselves t( the tnuo of .£30.000. We have never sr.cn a penny on this. I cannot icoall v. aingli instanco of seeing iv an English newppape: an advertisement of our frozen meat. Then is a big market yet to bo opened up, am many opposing interests to be overoome, bu it ongbtto be done. Perhaps we oanno yet do without the middleman, but whilo wi are discussing the • bigger questions wi can try to get a reduction on freight even if we have to ask Governmen to assist ns, and by getting np 1 fund to advertise. The meeting lately hel< at Peilding gives the Government anothe: chance of helping the movement on. Thi resolution passed there will no doubt com mend itself to most of ni,- viz., to ask th. Government to call a conference of thosi interested in the trade, to meet in Welling ton, and to discuss the whole matter. ■> Thii seems to me a very wise course, becauseou Freezing Companies oan be well represented and their objections fully given. They havi been of immense assistance in the past, an< the fullest consideration .should be givei to their views before any steps are taken flluoh information can be given by them, am possibly many valuable Any how, such, a meeting would .cost little, an( may do mnoh good. r . , . . Apologising for tho length of this letter the importance of the aubjeot being. my onl; exense for asking you to give np so much o your space to it, ' - I am, &c, Jasies G. Wileon. Eangitikei, 12th May, 1895.