COMMERCIAL

Evening Star, Issue 7749, 22 October 1888, Page 3

COMMERCIAL

The amount of revenue collected at the Custom-house on goods cleared to-day for consumption was L 1,003 8?. In connection with the new departure in the frozen meat trade, the following private telegram dated London, the 17th of October, has been received by a mercantile firm in Christchurch “ A meeting of persons interested in the frozen meat trade has been held, when comprehensive proposals were made re meat rates of freight. Will send full particulars by mail leaving on October 19. Proposals were ap- ? roved by Alessis Elworthy (Timaru), W. lavidson (Land Company), and Air Nelson. These gentlemen have cabled to this effect to their respective agents in New Zealand,”‘Press,’

THE FROZEN AIEAT TRADE.

Mr N, Wood, of Auckland, who is at present in England, writes to the .‘ New Zealand Herald’: —“As my brother and I had an idea of doing something in this line, we looked very closely into it. There is no doubt that'n the West End of London and elsewhere there has been collusion between housekeepers, butlers, and tradesmen, and New Zealand beef and mutton has been sold as English; but where persons select their own meat it has not been done to any great extent. The different teste between our frozen and the fresh English is so palpable and distinct that no sane person would believe it. It is only _ among the gentry who insist on hanging the meat till on the verge of putrefaction, and then have it served with so many sauces, jellies, etc , that the original flavor can scarcely be tested, that the fraud is possible. _ Is the trade growing? Yes, daily; prejudice isgiving ■way before necessity. It supplies a groat publie want at a cheap rate, and is good, wholesome food. Messrs Nelson Bros.’ agent in Smithfleld told me that no country in the world sent such quality of meat in such quantity and so free from disease. It is mainly purchased by the poorer classes. Does it have a fair chance in the provinces? Yes, I saw in Messrs Nelson Bros.’ office a map of England. On it there were red dots where they and the American companies had agencies, and there is scarcely a small town or large village that is not represented ; add to the agencies a great number of small men on their own account, and others selling in booths in all the markets of the country. How is it sold ? Very low, sometimes for less than 2s fid profit on a 601b sheep. The American River Plate, tho'ugh much inferior in quality, runs the New Zealand very hard, because it is cheaper. In the office of the agent of Messrs Nelson Bros., at Birmingham. I heard a sale of 100 Now Zealand frozen sheep at 4|d per lb; the legs, loins, and shoulders of these were ticketed at 5d and sjd per lb, the other parts at cost or under. But here again we have solid ground to work on ; it is all cash. There are no losses through bad debts. This is the satisfaction of large city businesses ; a man knows what he is doing, and what he can afford to spend outside his business. A friend of mine, a manufacturer employing over 200 work-people, told me ho would be well satisfied to make a clear profit of 5 per cent, on his turnover, ‘ But,’ I said, ‘that leaves a very small margin for losses by bad debts, etc.’ He replied: ‘ I have not lost L 8 in bad debts in the last three years.’ When shall we learn, from the highest to the lowest, to pay as wo go, and not exceed our incomes ? ”

THE LONDON MARKETS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Corapanv have received the following cablegram from their London office, dated 19th inst.: —“The tallow market is firmer; good mutton tallow is worth 29s 3d, and good beef 28s 6d per cwt. The leather market is easier. The frozen mutton market is weaker; Canterbury is worth 5d por lb, and Wellington 4gd per lb. The frozen meat market is overstocked for beef: New Zealand is worth (hind-quarters) B|d per lb.”

MINING NOTES. Tho Reefton battery returns for the past week were: Keop-it-Dark, 3170z of amalgam from 185 tons; Globe, 1730z of amaVam from 190 tons.