MEAT FOR BRITAIN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 1 May 1928, Page 7

MEAT FOR BRITAIN.

LAMBS FROM NEW ZEALAND. HALF OF THE TOTAL ARRIVALS. The after-effects ot the labour troubles in Britain dining. 192(5 accounted for the failure 01 meat-im-portations into tile United Kingdom in .Liter to, attain the proportions that might have been expected irom the tranquil industrial conditions which pievailed ..during- the year, according to a review qf the frozen and chilled meat trade during 1927. issued o > George O. Kean and Company. Liinited. of London. The'spending power oi tiio people in provincial ceaties, and especially the districts closely connected with the coalmining industry, was most noticeably affected, resulting in a. disappointing demand for imported meats. All past records in the history of Hie fnzen lamb trade were sievectbeie-is broken, and the total imports Irom New Zealand and Australia amounted to 10 200,001 carcases, an iucreuoc of 1,097 SOO over the J. 926 arr ivals. New Zealand supplied more than liall' tire total, and shared (substantially in the general increase, sending to the Home market the record quantity qf 6,3-JU,-102 carcases, an increase of 0dd,650 carcasesi over the figures for the previous year. increase: in chilled beef The general decrease in the imports of frozen beef corresponded closely to the increase in drilled beef arrivals, and was directly attributed to the effect of chilled beef corqpetition, which made the. export, of frozen beef unprofitable to the producer. New Zealand supplies of frozen beef were 137,57 d quarters less than in 1926. Imports, of mutton showed a- decrease from the previous year’s figures, and New Zealand shared in the decline to the extent of 100,667 carcases, the Dominion’s total mutton arrivals amounting to 2.167,921 carcases.

Shipments of Argentine chilled beef were greatly in excess of market requirements and as a, result prices of other descriptions of imported meat as well as chilled beef were considerably’ affected. Therefore one of the most interesting features of the year to all meat-producing countries was the agreement which had been reached between South American shippers to regulate the freight tonnage in service between South America, the United Kingdom, and the Continent, to proportions as near to the.’ maximum requirements as, it was possible to estimate. By this means it was hoped to stabilise prices and instil a. greater degi be .of confidence throughout the trade. »'>!;■ QUALITY OF THE MEAT.

Ample supplies of home killed meat came forward, and owing to the modprate demand in provincial centres consignments were frequently diverted to Sniithfield, where the effects of oversupply were at- times acutely felt. A compensating factor was that the embargo. placed,on Continental meat imports fin- 1.926 liad continued throughout the year, and'consequently there was ijq copipetition, from, that source. The report observed that drought conditions in Australia, had materially affected the quality-as we 11 as the quantity'of the meat exports. , Referring; to two shipments of chilled beef received from Australia it was remarked that although the beef arrived in good condition the quality was in neither case as satisfactory as shipments received the previous year. Similarly climatic conditions in the Argentine had not been altogether favourable and a large percentage of the beef was below the usual standard.

Referenced to tire quality of New Zealand meat were generally favourable. It was observed, however, that January supplies., consisting mainly of new season’s lambs, were not quite up to the usual standard, but as in the ease of mutton a more serious drawback was the faulty dressing occasioned by labour difficulties at the works immediately they opened. Selling was somewhat hampered by these defects, hut in February there was a noticeable improvement.