NEW ZEALAND FLOCKS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 2 March 1935, Page 16

NEW ZEALAND FLOCKS

VALUE TO THE COUNTRY LAST YEAR’S HIGH REVENUE £17,000,000 DISTRIBUTED

The “British Trade Review” of December devotes an article to the meat industry of New Zealand. From the point of view of financial return, the article states, sheep-raising is still the leading industry in New Zealand. The total value of the output of the industry last year was over £17,000,000. This sum includes the value or meat exported, and of wool, ( tallow and sheepskins v For many years 'New' Zealand has been Britain’s leading supplier of mutton and lamb; indeed, her contribution exceeds in quantity the combined supplies from all other, quarters of the globe. This is no small achievement for a country with so small a population, and situated at the far ends of the earth. Her flocks numbering 28,600,000 are greater than those of the United Kingdom. Since the year 1882, when she sent to England her first trial shipment of lamb and mutton, New Zealand has been one of the world’s leading ex-. porters. The killing, freezing and export industry has been conducted upon a highly' organised system since the earliest days. To-day there are 35 meat freezing works placed, in various centres in the Dominion each capable of dealing with many thousands of sheep a day. No country in the world is so up-to-date as New Zealand in respect to her meat freezing industry'—the methods employed at her ! works, me care exercised in the grading and inspection of the carcases for export, and in the utilisation of modern machinery' and scientifis aids. In producing the finest moat New Zealand also has the advantage of the most luxuriant pastures of English grass, strong and succulent the year round by virtue of plentiful sunshine and frequent streams and rivers. For many years sheep farmers in New Zealand have bred specially for the Home market. It is for this reason her lamb is so popular with the British housewife. The carcase produced is small, and the joints also are small and compact, bearing the maximum of meat and the minimum of bone. There are exceedingly few butchers’ shops in the United Kingdom to-day' 'which do not sell New Zealand lamb. Last y'ear New Zealand exported 10,800,000 carcases of lamb and mutton. The value of her export to Britain was' over £9,000,000. Some idea can thus be formed of the importance of this trade not only to New Zealand, but to Britain. The I British public have the advantage of some of the finest meat obtainable, lambs produced on English grasses under the best climatic conditions — every carcase guaranteed free of disease and butchered and transported under the most hy'gicnic conditions. There is also the return this immense cargo gives to British shipping, and the employment it proyidcs to British seamen and to labour on the Home wharves. On his part the New Zealand sheep farmer has a sure and reliable market, in Britain.