BIG CONTRACT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 13 August 1932, Page 7

BIG CONTRACT

AUSTRALIAN FROZEN MEAT FOR BRITISH ARMY PRICES ABOVE PRESENT LEVELS (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph —Copyright) (Received 13th August, 10.0 a.m.) OTTAWA, 12th August. Australia secured a British army frozen meat contract amounting to nearly a thousand head of cattle a week for six months from next September to March. Prices are considerably above present levels, and will have important uplift in the Australian meat trade. The Angliss Company’s share of the contract amounts to 400 to 500 head of cattle a week. Mr Angliss received cabled news from London this afternoon. He believes Borthwick’s and other companies are also sharing. Mr Angliss is gratified, lie understands the new contract went to Australia on a purely competitive and not a sentimental basis, the Argentina tenders being higher. The contract will help to liquidate accumulated stocks of frozen beef and mutton in London and Australia and also on the water.

Even if the contractors lose money towards the end of the period in consequence of an expected general rise in prices following ihe Ottawa Conference, Mr Angliss says the contractors will not mind, because it will be so much the better for Australia. The prices are such as to ensure profitable business in the early stages of delivery, and the contract represents the first ray of sunshine for months. The arrangement is to supply also some thousand carcases of sheep, the British Government having the right to decide to take mutton instead of beef if mutton is lower. The first deliveries commencing in September, can probably be made ex store London.