FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16808, 18 March 1915, Page 11

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

SHORTAGE OF SHIPPING SPACE.

FARMERS' UNION MANIFESTO.

The follow.ing manifesto dealing with the. present frozen meat trouble has been issued by the executive of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union: The executive of the Farmers' Union has considered the whole question of the present frozen meat problem and has gone carefully into the value of lambs according to the prices fixed by the Imperial Government. A v well-known commercial freezing expert says he is prepared to buy ail the first quality lambs in North Canterbury at 6|d per lb in tlie works over all, provided he can obtain the space. The executive desires to point out that the following are fair values for lamb:.36lb at 60,.16s 10id. skin 5s 6d, fat sd, total 22s 9|d, less charges f.o.b. Is 6d. net price at works 21s 3£d. A 361 b lamb at the following prices works out as follows:—At 6cl lb 18s, at 6Jd 18s M, at 6id 19s 6d, at 63d 20s 3d, at 6gd 20s 7*d, the . prices being over aIL The opinion of the executivo is that in the face of these values compared with the prices given by the exporters, the farmers are being exploited, and it recommends that action be taken along the following lines:—

Two ships are being loaded this month earlier than was anticipated and eight ships are loading next month, in addition to which the'executive had been advised that the Imperial Government was making strenuous efforts to hurry forward further slips. Outside of Canterbury and Marlborough, the freezing companies can cope with, all the sheep and lambs offering, and in Marlborough, although the works are full, tlmre is no more fat sto<-k to handle. It therefore appears evident that the blockage i» the Canterbury works is only temporary, and the executive makes a strong appeal to the Canterbury farmers to bold < tlieir stocks firmly for advanced prices.

The freezing compinies candid 1 ? adnr't that they are giving practically the whole of their space to the export buyers who have previously supported them, but if farmers decline to accept less thf»n fijd or 6Jd for prime lambs, thon the export bnver nnm either cive farmer* flmt price, or ho cannot carry nut his contrnct to fill space with the freezing companies Tf tho exporter can-not fill his smce. then tli" «pnce 's I-ft for the farmers and will thnn -eonre the prices for their lambs which they ask.

(Signed) C. H. EN^R. President.

THE .POSITION IN AUCKLAND

INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SHIPS

'[Pjsr Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 17. Such is the stagnation of the frozen meat trada that the. big freezing works at Sou.hdown have been closed dowu for the whole of this week. lhe fite'.mer Rotorua is about to load 10,000 carcases for London, but this is only equivalent to three days' output from Sou -hdown. In a day or two the Karamea is to arrive and lorxd 12,000 carcses (equal to four days' output), and the Pakchn is dim on April 5 to take 1R 000 carcases (the re<m't of six days' killing). As a result of this inadequate Rupplv of-ships the nf the Auckland Fnrmers' FrTzinir Comnany will only.operate for about tH-tv diva in two months. An int"re~t :v "T development hns ocon'Ted in c , * l " r " , w ;i h the for f- , "'h"t"tfn<i the "f RtfOk 'O tl»a .\i-n'-1->->-! ; ?i-+ri'>t, A ClVn*llf<r i" b."'*"l liv thfl 'P-r>->T,'T(T r>ffr. r + 0 fiT InT '"'Tt-.'lvhl f_,-,„,>,.„ | v ,+, vo «T» tVn'timn if of tn "—-'— *>"•'• tb« of chooT»o<> „f «.<.„„% ,-C'il,„„ f„ w „u c^v ,r -n,„ n „ —,—,,•„„ ,•„ 4-i,„ a-.,i», U —l. „-'--„i. rt,. w „„V q i,„„„„ xv, *„„ pn-ang°-