The Frozen Meat Trade.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7413, 1 October 1902, Page 4

The Frozen Meat Trade.

[Per Press Association.] W-__ingto_t, September 30.

Tho report of the solect committeo set up by the Houso to consider tho condition of the .frozen meat industry suggests that as the magnilul3 of the interests involved aro so great, the Governor should be requested to set up a Boyal Commission to go fully into the mattor.

Tho committoa regards tbo complaints made, especially in Wellington and Hawke's Biy districts, as to the smaller prices obtained by th-'in as compared with those obtainable in the South Island, an fully proved. It w___abandantly tbown that, as tilings stand at present, tho bulk of__tho sho^p produced in many North Isldrul districis aro not of equal vniuo with those produced in South. Thi3 may bo accounted foi', first, by iho breed, but still the committee is of opinion tbat the prices p .id in the provinces of Wellington ar.d Uowko's Bay aro not of equal value to tho producer to thoso obtainable by the seller in the Bouth Island. Tho reason for this is that thero is not tbo same competition in tho North in rr.niivd to the purchase of fa* sbecp. Tlio market system has been copauietaVy developed in the Souih, and tbe rc-iiit> ia nn avirago standard of pric™ not ;;! ii-.i-riihlo in tho North l_l.iid. Uritil si-.-. •■ mo-hod can bs devised of cjr.c-'iiir.itii-g fat stock for silo ut, various centres io the North Island, Urns attract!".;* n larger number cf b_vcr_, tiiore 13 not much chance ol improvement in pric _. The present supply of fat sheep unduly tuxes tho capacity ot tho North Island freezing work., and it appears c!o .r that unless increased accomtriodaticn is provided, a difficulty v/ill be experienced in handling shoep fit for export.

Tho diroct solution of tho difficulty would bo c. combination amongst the farmors themselves—a co-operative association, of which, unfortunately thero oppearod little prospect.

The chief oyil in connection with tho salo of Now Zealand l'rozon meat in London and other parts of tho United Kingdom markets appears to bo that it is within tbo power of individual owners, salosmon, or agents, to weaken .ajid in frequent cases to cause a decided slump in tho market through putting quantities of mutton or lamb upon it at inopportune times and at less than current rates. The trade will never bo on a sound footiDg until a central board is sot up in London, with power to fix a price from day to day, and thus to regulato and control theso sales.