FROZEN MEAT TRADE AND ITS EXPANSION.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 263, 10 May 1895, Page 2

FROZEN MEAT TRADE AND ITS EXPANSION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sn;,—l have read Mr D. J. Nathan's paper on the above subject, and also Col. Gorton's letter to the Star, and though interested in the matter I am sorry to say I do not think Mr Nathan's scheme would really help graziers in the long run, but would saddle them with a very heavy yearly tax. I for one would raise my voice or use my pen against the State buying up all the freezing works in the colony. This is outside of the functions of the Government. The State may establish stations for the receipt and despatch of letters and parcels in its own territory, or own the railways, aud become the general carriers for its own people; but no State, as a State, could carry on freezing works in its own country and establish cool-stdres in the territory of another country under a different Government ; it would lead to all kinds of complications. If a weak State like New Zealand, she would have to submit to any hampering rules and regulations that the State (in which cool-stores were erected) chose to enforce. On the other hand, a strong State could establish cool-stores in a weaker State and by force of arms compel the weaker State to buy and use her mutton. Britain has worked in this manner for generations, and Russia is now pursuing this policy ; but we (New Zealanders) must be contented to push our wares on ordinary mercantile lines —subject to the law of supply and demand. I think that if a good strong company were formed in England composed of capitalists of that country and assisted by monied men in this colony, and this company were to establish cool-stores and defrosting chambers in all the large centres of Great Britain, that it would undoubtedly help everyone of us in this colony. If there were money in it, I have little doubt it would be started, and thus release a small portion of the locked-up capital at Home. Mr Nathan says in his paper : " The consumption of frozen meat must advance with the increase of population and the purchasing power of the people." This is a truism. But has not the amount of frozen mutton poured into Great Britain from New Zealand, Plate' River, and Australia been in excess of the increase of population and the purchasing power of the people ? Have not the coal strikes with all their ramifications reduced the purchasing power of the working classes at Home'? Mr Nathan says: "In addition to selling New Zealand mutton, we could deal in English, Scotch, and Welsh stock." Now, as the State guaranteed the money, the State would be neglecting its duty if it did not take the reins in its own hands; consequently the State (N.Z.) would have dealers in Scotch and Welsh mutton 1 Mr Nathan advocates the "borrowing of £2,000,000 for buying up all the freezing works of the colony and establishing cool stores, &c, at Home." The meatfreezing, preserving, and boiling-down works, tanning, fellniongering, and wool - scouring establishments, according to the Official Year-Book, 1895, amount to £'2,491,003. Would the £2,000,000 asked for be enough ? Mr Nathan's paper in the N.Z. Mail is headed "A Big Scheme"; but a bigger scheme would be for New Zealand to declare war on the Argentine Republic, thrash them, and cut the throats of their hundred million sheep (five times as many as we have), then our wool and mutton would go up by "leaps and bounds." Instead of our legislators meeting in Wellington next session they might proceed in the Hinemoa to carry out this " bigger scheme." Perhaps some reader will suggest this to the Premier. I am, &c., George Wii.k§. Feilding, 9th May, 1895.