THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12935, 1 October 1902, Page 6

THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

There is nothing strikingly new in the report submitted to Parliament by the Committee set up to consider the state of the frozen meat industry. The Committee, in fact, has considered only the more obvious aspects of its subject, and, though its observations are pertinent enough as far as they go and are for the most part sound, it has really dob® no more than emphasise the statements that have been made by experts from time to time in our own columns and in other journals in New Zealand. It is explained that the report as only a preliminary one, because the Committee has not had time to go into the various questions very deeply; but we confess that even so, the “voluminous document” is somewhat disappointing. The comparison of prices between North Island and South- Maud sheep has led to a. good deal of misunderstanding, and the notorious North Island “ ring ” may have received rather morel ; than its fair share of blame in this connection. To begin with, as the Committee has pointed out, the North Island sheep are, in general, of a poorer quality than those bred in the South. The climatic conditions are against the Northern grower. He has coarser feed to work on, and his sheep, on their merits, bring a lower price in. the London market. But when allowance has been made for this, it is still true that the producer does not obtain as large a profit from lus sheep as do the Southern growers. Tho meat “ ring ” possibly does not deserve all the hard 1 things that Mr Hornsby has said of it, but it is certainly not a philanthropic institution for the conservation of the growers’ interests. We do not quite see how the establishment of open markets would improve l tie farmers’ position, because there would be no more competition among buyers than at present. It is well known that the butchers and the freezing companies recognise a “ community of interests,” and, indeed, that the freezing,companies themselves do not altogether neglect the retail trade. A solution of tho difficulty magut be found in the establishment of genuine growers’ co-operative associations, which, provided they were managed economically and efficiently, would secure to the grower the whole of the profit he is entitled to on the export and sale of frozen moat. But it is quite possible that tbei northern meat companies, if diplomatically approached, would be willing to freeze and export on clients’ account, a practice which tho Canterbury companies have followed with consistent success. The larger questions regarding the Home market seem to have been very lightly touched by the Committee. Innumerable suggestions have been made) for controlling the supply of meat in London, but they all recognise the absolute necessity for co-operation among exporters’ agents. A great deal more, attention wilt have to be paid to operations at tho London! end if the trade is to bo placed on a really satisfactory footing, and we should think that by this time the companies interested ought to realise the wisdom of combining

to regulate the daily supplies. The Committee comments also on the need for establishing direct supply depots at other, ports than London. Wa are sometimes told that there is nothing to be gained by sending supplies to other ports, but the plain truth is that the experiment has never been seriously tried. The frozen meat industry is of such, importance to the colony that the Government -would be justified in, undertaking any reasonable expenditure for its encouragement, and, there are few purposes for which a little public money could more profitably be spent.