FROZEN MEAT FOR AUSTRALIA.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue LXIV, 13 September 1902, Page 4

FROZEN MEAT FOR AUSTRALIA.

The considerable shipments of frozen meat that have of late been unostentatiously forwarded to Sydney and Melbourne are about to bo increased by what may prove to he regular consignments to Brisbane. Yesterday, it was. cabled from that city that owing to the difficulty of obtaining sheep arrangement* had been made to get a shipment, of frozen mutton by the •NnirnKhire from N.ew Zealand. Several weeks ago we showed that Australia for many months to come would almost certainly require to draw large quantities of chilled or frozen meat from this colony, and the present demand from Queensland, which has a small population and an immense area of sheep-country N aa compared with the southern colonies, tends to confirm that view. Under these circumstances it is important that our sheep-groweis should be made reguliuly acquainted with the prices realised for our frozen meat in the Australian markets. But how to do it? We have tried, and so far have not succeeded, the consignors apparently and' not unnaturally desiring to avoid publication of their returns. As, however, our settlers aro so nearly concerned in knowing what our meat is worth "over the water," why may not the Deportment of Industries and Commerce take the matter in hand, find havo the meat followed from the ship to the consumer, and officially report the prices realised? If this were done for a few weeks, the market would come tq be quoted rogularly es from liondon, and the sheep-grower would then be able to ascertain how much, if any, of the profit that should be his, is going to the middlemen.