MARKETING OF FROZEN MEAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3461, 13 October 1913, Page 3

MARKETING OF FROZEN MEAT.

MR W. D. LYSNAR REPLIES TO MR ROSS. NEW ASSOCIATION WILL ENTIRELYDESERT SMITHFIELD. FACT'S IN FAVOR OF WEST OF ENGLAND PORTS. Upon his return from the South on Saturday Mr W. J>. "Lysnar made a statement to a “Gisborne Times” reporter in reply to Mr Donald Ross, of Wanganui, regarding the respective facilities' of London and Bristol and other West Coast ports for the handling and marketing of produce. Mr Lysnar stated that lie appreciated criticism from Mr Ross or any other farmer, as it enabled the basis to be better understood, but he pointed out that it was quite clear that Mr Ross was laboring under an absolutely erroneous impression, when he thought the intention was to abandon London as a market. That was not the intention of the movement in the slightest degree. “We propose,” he went on, “to use London to its fullest extent,. and supply it with whatever it requires. It is intended to have a selling staff located in London, but we will only supply to London at the same prices we are able to obtain in the North of England, where we woitld be untrammelled by the vested interests or trade concessions such as the weight allowances (21b on a carcase of mutton, 21b on a quarter of beef, and lib on lamb), which, .as I have pointed out on previous occasions, represents a loss of £175,000 per annum when it is sold at Smithfield. No allowance whatever will be made in the West of England ports. Then, again, we claim that we can supply Smithfield with meat cheaper, cleaner and quicker through the port of Bristol than we can through the port of London itself. So it will be seen that Mr Ross is entirely under a misapprehension as to the basis of our operations. Consequently, the value of his opinion is not based on true facts.

Mr Lysnar said Mr Ross admitted that the London facilities were bad, and that Bristol facilities were good, but he went on to say that in a short time London would be equipped with the best and most up-to-date docks in the Kingdom, and mentioned that these improvements would be completed in a matter of two years. “From this it would be gathered,” continued Mr Lysnar, “that Mr Ross says we should be content to go on as we are until these improvements are finished in two years’ time. According to the official figures that we have published throughout the Dominion fropi time to time, it shows that we are practically losing about £5,000,000 per annum in consequence of the bad system of handling and marketing our produce through London. According to Mr Ross, we should go on losing tins for the next two years without taking advantage of the up-to-date facilities now available in the West Coast ports.” “I quite appreciate,” he went on, “the possibility of one negotiating with these people accept ing their views on an important question like this. These men, of course, are saturated with the belief that London is the only possible port at which meat and produce could be successfully handled and the opinions are -naturally contagious to those with whom they come in contact.”

He was aware also that Mr Ross was in London from about May to July of this year. If Mr Ross’ statement that New Zealanders had nothing to complain of was true, how cdukl he justify damage such as the following, which was on consignments received in London during the same time as Mr Ross was at Home. In the case of three consignments in May, totalling 1170 carcases, there were 177 damaged, wand that worked out at about 15 per cent. And attached to these accounts the following appeared : “These carcases were soft, misshapen, blood-stained, legs torn, etc. We are of opinion that the damage to these carcases is due to hot weather prevailing during the discharging 'of the steamer.”

Then, again, in July, out of four consignments totalling 658 carcases, there were 145 marked as damaged, being about 23-per cent. To this was attached the following note : “1 hose carcases have been soft and refrozn, badly misshapen, many blood-stained, legs torn, and broken,” etc. These, added Mr Lysnar, were not picked accounts. but. merely statements ' for these periods on shipments through one mercantile firm. Then there was attached a note that special inquiries were made from the lightering people as to how they accounted for the damage, and their reply was that the carcases came tip from the vessel on two different occasions, and at the same time the barges were conveying the same, they had only a small quantity of meat aboard, hence the soft condition in which many of the carcases were found. Such reports as these spoke for themselves, and could not be questioned by Mr Ross or anybody else. “And lam sure,” continued Mr Lysnar, ‘‘when he understands the actual position he will see that we are going to make this, loss by shipping through London, instead of through Bristol or the other West Coast ports, and he will realise the great advantage of utilising West' Coast ports where it is impossible fqr such damage to occur. The difference between, Mr Ross and myself is that he thinks we are abandoning Smith field market, which is entirely wrong. We are only abandoning the port of London, which he cannot say is good even, after the improvements are made two years lienee. I look to Mr Ross’s support to tins movement, as well as to any others, when they properly understand the scheme.”

Concerning the statement by Mr Ross that if the Bristol scheme was adopted, the Argentine trade would be driven to London. Mr Lysnar said: “There again our friend labors under a misapprehension. Argentine has got all the trade they can possibly provide for to-day in London, and it is impossible for tfiem to do anything more than they are doing to-day. Very often there is no Argentine firms as some of the best supporters of the movement to supply them frozen meat for tlieir retail shops in all parts of England, including London.” As emphasising the fact that London will be used Mr Lysnar pointed out. that there were already consignments of produce on the road to London taken by the steamer that left Wellington on the 2nd inst. There was a further consignment going by a steamer that leaves on the i6th.‘ These were being , shipped to London direct, for tlie reason. that there were no boats available for Bristol or West Coast, ports'until next month, but the London staff would receive and market the produce at London under the direct supervision of the Produce Association’s manager at Bristol. So that, if a man did not wish to take advantage of the West Coast ports, he could still send his produce to London, where the Association’s staff would market it, to the

best advantage. This, however, was not recommended, because the facilities at London were bad and the charges more than double.