THE MEAT TRADE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 84, 6 October 1909, Page 2

THE MEAT TRADE.

10 THE EDITOB.. Sir, — Tho position here of the New Zealand lamb trade is one which calls for serious consideration on the part of the producers in New Zealand. To-day, New Zealand lamb, an article which stands out by itself ,in the matter of quality and appearance, is selling at 2|d to 3|d per lb, and, needless to say, at these prices it has the market to itself. Australian and River Plate shipments ceased to arrive in April and May last, and were all cleared off before the crisis arrived. One fear that causes the present position is that the demand may cease at the end of September, and holders will require to carry over until next year, which means an expense of Id per lb, and coming on the market early next season with stale New Zealand lambs. This feature of the market was very pronounced last year, when the selling value of New Zealand lamb in September was sid per lbj but 1 doubt if the demand will terminate so abruptly this season with the value so much less, and the retail butchers reaping such a harvest. However, at present representatives of New "Zealand freezing companies, c.i.f. buyers, and brokers in charge of consignments from New Zealand, are engaged in a scramble to sell New Zealand lamb, much to the satisfaction and amusement of the River Plate companies, who are amongst the principal buyers. This scramble is created and sustained entirely amongst holders of New Zealand lamb. It is quite unnecessary, and such a position could not possible arise regarding any of the meat products of the Argentine, for the following reasons :—: — (1) The Argentine companies never freeze or ship meat for outsiders. Each company buys in Argentina all it can, and sells the meat itself in England. (2) .There is no such thing as c.i.f. sales of Argentine meat, therefore, no outsider can btiy for forward delivery, and become a competitor in the selling markets. " (3) All the Argentine companies do their own selling and distributing in England, most of them having branches in all the principal towns, and some having their own shops throughout the country. (4) Any competition there _is is confined to the Argentine companies themselves, who meet- and fix the prices weekly, and so rigid are these people, that I have known them refuse to book an order on Saturday for delivery on the following Monday, because the prices for each week are fixed on Mondays. Their motto is "spot prices and sales, and no weight allowances." The bulk of the Argentine meat comes to Liverpool. Why? In New Zealand wo used to be told that it came here because it was cheaper, and that the Midlands w.int cheap meat. Nothing oi the kind ! It comes to Liverpool because there are no weight allowances here as in London, and if mutton or lamb sells at the same prices in Liverpool as in London, the former returns" are 3 per cent, better, because in London from every lamb lib weight allowance is deducted, and 81b from every five sheep. River Plato companies do not send any more meat to London than they can help, because they do not believe in submitting to a tax of 3 per cent., •which is nothing more or less than a special subsidy to the London trade; but without a complaint Good Old New Zealand tsends 95 per cent, of her output to be shorn of this 3 per cent, for a start. To sum up the position, New Zealand freezing companies co-operate and organise where it is unnecessary and where the River Plate companies do not, and that is in the matter of freights _ and they fail to co-operate and organise where it is necessary and where the River Plate companies do, that is in the matter of sales and distribution. I had some experience of the frozen meat trade in New Zealand, and I have had a year's experience here as local manager for a Smithfield firm. In these circumstances, I commend these facts and observations to the consideration of those interested in the frozen meat industry in New Zealand.— l am, etc., ,T, T G. S. MUNEO, (Late Manager N.Z. International Exhibition, 1906-7.) Liverpool, 20lli August, 1909. Our London correspondent writes : "New Zealanders may take some sort of comfort in the knowledge that the Habitual Criminals Act is having an appreciable effect in driving confirmed burglars and pickpockets to other fields. The London police are confronted almost every day with some daring and impudent phase, of burglary, pocketpicking, or confidence trickery which is traced to men who have already earned themselves a reputation in the Australian States and New Zealand. Their prevalence here just now is directly attributable to the recent legislation of New Zealand and some of the Australian States, providing for drastic treatment of persons repeatedly convicted of such offeocea."