New Zealand Produce in England.

Evening Star, Issue 8611, 3 September 1891, Page 3

New Zealand Produce in England.

Mr Henry Reynolds (of the firm of H. Reynolds and Co,) has returned to Auckland after an absence of fourteen months in England, during which time he has been engaged in furthering the traffic in New Zealand produce, more especially in dairy produce. To a representative of the Auckland ‘Herald’ he gave the following information : Mr Reynolds says that his principal object in visiting England was to find an outlet for New Zealand dairy produce, and in this respect he thinks ho is successful. He is emphatic on this score, and says that it is necessary that it should be representative, and that there should be a local agency to receive it on arrival, and see to its disposal, so as to get it as near the consumer as possible. It was entirely a matter of time to get the business in the way of working, bat everything would depend on the steps taken. There was a good market in the country districts of England for New Zealand butter, but he was thoroughly convinced that the only way to have a satisfactory butter for export was by manufacture on the factory principle, as it was utterly impossible for individuals to keep up, or even reach, a pitch of excellence which would keep New Zealand butter up to a uniform scale of quality. New Zealand produce is now making a great stride in the English market. So far as packing is concerned, Mr Reynolds has little to say. In some districts they prefer it in casks, in others in boxes ; but the butter baa to be of good quality, and packed in cases of about 50'b or 601b, these being the most suitable to the trade. There is always a good market for good butter, but there must be uniformity and quality. In answer to the question as to the best means of marketing New Zealand cheese iu the Home Country, Mr Reynolds said that cheese sent to the Home market must be made mild, as the strong, sharp flavor incidental to colonial choese is detrimental, and it should be of light straw color. There was a large market for cheese of this description, and Mr Reynolds adds that it can be proved that New Zealand can send better cheese into the market, and of a finer flavor, than American cheese, and that it can command a better market.

Ab to the varieties of apples for export, Mr Reynolds had little to say, farther than that the best keeping varieties were the best for export. He said the great point is to get them Home as early as possible, say about the middle of April. One lot sent had realised from 20s to 25s a case, but a subsequent shipment fell to 8s and 10s, as they were too late for the market, The best to send are those which have the finest appearance, as show goes for everything in the English market, and an inferior apple

with a showy skin will sell before the best pippin. The cases now used for shipment are in every way suitable, but care must be taken to prevent braising or leaving space for vibration, and the best packing is tissue paper. I do not know that I can say mush on the subject of the export of potatoes from New Zealand to England. So far the shipments have been experimental, There may be a demand for shipments early in December, but he had no experience in the matter, although his firm would be quite prepared to look after shipments consigned to them. On the matter of frozen meat, Mr .Reynolds said that the trade is still going ahead at an enormous rate, as was shown by the operations of the Shipping and Storage Company. The trade in frozen meat was being

greatly extended, for it was now sent by night trains to all parts of the United Kingdom, and it has taken well. Their great difficulty in regard to the frozen mutton as to its appearance had been overcome, and it could now be put on the market as nice and bright as the Homekilled sheep. The great difficulty with regard to the North Island sheep is that they are too large, as the favorite weight Is from 501b to 601b, butchers preerring that weight for trade purposes, so that they should resemble as closely as possible the Southdowns, The arrangements

for distribution made by Nelson Brothers are as nearly perfect as possible. They are admirable, and a single carcass or more can be supplied to any order. There is no possibility of the trade in frozen mutton being overdone. The prejudice against the frozen meat is overcome, although still it is being retailed out as English mutton. And after a thorough look round In the Home country, I have come back impressed with and more than ever satisfied that New Zealand is the land for production, and the other end, England, the land for consumers. When I have heard the producers in England complaining of the competition of New Zealand produce, I have invited them to oome and oast in their lot with onrs, and try their hands in oar new country.