THE MEAT TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12044, 14 August 1902, Page 5

THE MEAT TRADE.

THE EXPORT OF STOCK TO AUSTRALIA.

Regarding the space available for the carriage of sheep and cattle from Auckland to Sydney by the steamers engaged in the trade, referred to in the Herald of yesterday, the local manager of the Union S.S. Company states that there is a quantity of space available in the Talune, which is timed to leave Auckland for Sydney on : the 26th inst. - The whole of the space of the Talune had been applied for by local shippers, as the Waikare leaving Auckland on the 25th ■■ inst. was announced as not being available for the carriage of stock, owing to her having made a voyage to Fiji, which brought her under the restrictions of the New Zealand Stock.Act, which prohibits any vessel which has visited the Islands from carrying stock of any kind to Australia until a period of 90 days had elapsed since her visit. These restrictions having been removed, the Waikare will be able to take her usual consignments. A number of shippers who had stated they would send stock by the Talune have now signified their intention of not doing so, and this leaves a considerable amount of space on that steamer available for other shippers who wish to send stock across. ••

FROZEN MEAT FOR AUSTRALIA.

The shipment of frozen meat to Sydney by the mail steamer Ventura on Tuesday comprised 96 quarters and 6 bags beef, 447 carcases mutton, 41 carcases lamb, 29 bags mutton, and 3 bags pork. ; : The refrigerating space in the steamers of the Oceanic S.B. Company i 5.26,392 feet, equal to 659 tons Giving ten sheep to the ton of space, it will be seen that there is plenty of room in these steamers for the carriage of frozen meat to Sydney, and as there is at present a large demand for the commodity ;in Australia local shippers will be able to take advantage of the opportunity offered them by the steamers of the mail line. Already space equal to 2500 carcases has been engaged for the Sierra, which leaves Auckland for Sydney on September 2. •' AMERICA AS A MARKET FOR FROZEN MEAT. ■;■,.' The export trade in New Zealand frozen meat, and particularly in mutton, may now be said to be firmly established in England and South Africa, but up to the present little or no attention has been directed to Honolulu and the United States, of America as likely fields for the extension of the trade. It seems, however, that both places are likely to be exploited in the near future, and there are those who consider that a profitable trade might be opened, especially, with Honolulu, where the bulk of the meat supplies are already drawn from the United States, and the freights and charges are but little in excess of what would be incurred in sending meat there from Auckland by the direct liners. The matter has been engaging the attention of Messrs. Henderson and Macfariane, the local representatives of the Oceanic Steamship Company, and the Auckland office is now in communication with the San Francisco office on the question of making experimental shipments, in order to test the market. The company's vessels contain ample cold storage accommodation for carcases, and after going carefully into figures, including freights and other charges, the local agents have come to the conclusion that n steady and profitable trade might he worked up. They point out that the American mutton does not compare in flavour with that raised in New Zealand, and that the ruling prices there would still leave a satisfactory margin of profit to New Zealand shippers. No definite steps have yet been taken with regard to sending trial shipments, but it is hoped that the representations mado to the San Francisco office on the matter wil i claim favourable consideration, and that before long experimental shipments will be en the water. Should this be done, and the resuits prove un to expectations, those interested in the frozen meat trade here will no doubt take the necessary steps to develop the trade to their own benefit, and the benefit of the.shipping companies as carriers. -■ ENGLISH BUTCHERS PROSECUTED. [BY TELECRAPH. — ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Wednesday. ■ A cablegram received from the AgentGeneral, by Sir J. Ward states that by Mr. Reeves' direction English butchers had been prosecuted and heavily fined for having sold River Plate mutton as New Zealand. An important admission made by a defendant was that 99 out of 100 butchers call all frozen mutton New Zealand. . The Acting-Premier has been advised by a leading firm in the colony that cable advices have been received by this firm calling the attention of sheep-growers to the desirableness when they have meat for export of not quoting beyond values. The firm's advisers state that a large Australian buyer who was recently purchasing meat in New Zealand for export to the Cape, found it.so difficult to do business in this colony that he had gone ; to the Argentine for supplies.