The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1887. THE GEAR COMPANY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1521, 10 January 1887, Page 2

The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1887.

THE GEAR COMPANY.

♦ It is highly satisfactory to observe that this company, which has a considerable sum invested in the meat and taliow trade, has had so successfull a year that it is able to pay the very handsome dividend of 12^ per cent. The happy circumstance proves beyond all doubt, if further proof were needed, that the bottom is not by any means out of the export trade, and that though London prices have been low, freight charges comparatively high, and arrangements in England for distribution and sale of colonial meat not so perfect as they may be hoped to be, there has still boen a very fair margin of p'-ofit. In so far as the operations of the company have demonstrated this, even the farmers, to whom twelve and a half per cent, upon capital invested, is success " beyond the dreams of avarice," must be gratified and encouraged. If they only shared more fully in the profit they would, of course, be much better satisfied ; and we can quite understand that as they think of that fat dividend their " teeth water," and that they may even harbor the idea that there is a screw loose somewhere when the middleman's well-doing is in such remarkable contrast to the producer's ill -doing. But let them take heart of grace. A twelve and a- half per cont. dividend is a pretty good outward and visible indication of there being money in the trade ; and it should not only be a source of hope, but should assist them to make up their minds as to what they ought to do. We have pressed this point on their attention repeatedly, and in another column to-day we print a letter from a correspondent who follows the matter up. We shall only say further that there just now seems to be one of those turns o£ the tide which it is proverbially dangerous to miss taking advantage of. It is for those most directly interested to see to it, that their interests are not allowed to suffer. The speech made by the chairman of the company to whose operations we have been referring, at the annual meeting, gave the following particulars relating to the trade of the company. He believed that the number of cattle killed in 1886 was 4901; of sheep, 129,991; of lambs, 9622; of calves, 529; and of pigs, 1441; making a total of 144,892. The number of frozen carcases and lambs exported by the Company was 101,029 ; legs of mutton, 17,471 ; and of beet, 3667 pieces, He also ""-ook the opportunity of referring to the history of the trade aud its prospects. He pointed out that the total number of carcases of frozen mutton received into the London market in 1885 was 766,000,. while in 1882 the number was only 66,000. The foreign live btock received in 1885 was 603,000, and in 1882 it was 83 1,000. The d. crease in the import of live stock into London during the four years was 230,000 Then (he continued) take the position of some of the countries that Great Britain has been getting supplies from. In France during the past decade the number of sheep has decreased 9.3 per cent., and in other parts of Europe the decrease has been greater, so that it is only a matter of time when we will have another outlet for frozen and perserved meats. In America, owing to the increase of population being greater than the development of stock, there is no great fear of excessive competition from there. In Canada there is a decrease of 8 per cent in the number of sheep, and the United Stales receive large numbers of sheep from that country. Turning to the other side, we have to face competition from the Eiver Plate. In 1875 the number of sheep was 400,000 ; and in 1885 the quantity increases to 700,000, aud that country j shipped into the London market 191,000 carcases of frozen mutton. The total quantity shipped from the colonies was 499,000. Had il not been for the great development of the frozen meat trade throughout New Zealand this country would to-day have been in a very sad position The output of tallow was 921 tons, being 70 tons less than the previous year. The Three-Crown mutton tallow shipped by the Company brings the highest price of any shipped from the colonies, and comes next! in quality to the celebrated Russian brand PYC. This department of the business is now carried on in the new works

ercctC'l some nine months ago. The average price of mutton tallow in 1882-83 was £37 15s, and last year (1886) .the average price was only ,£24. During the past month a rise has taken place, and to-day it is quoted at £29 10s. It is satisfactory, and we hope that the present price will be maintained The preserving department does not show any increase in business, on the contrary the outturn is smaller. The total quantity is 249,310 tins, weighing 751,7721b5.