MEAT MERGER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21708, 25 January 1934, Page 11

MEAT MERGER

PROBABLE EFFECTS DISCUSSION IN LONDON (Received January 24, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON", Jan. 53 Meat traders in London think that the Weddell-Angliss merger means that Australia soon will be challenging Argentina's supremacy in the chilled beef industry, and anticipate regular largo shipments within two years. Ifc is thought that frozen meat will concurrently and correspondingly decline. A position will .thus have arisen that was not foreseen and not provided for at Ottawa or in the Anglo-Argentine agreements. The Argentine will not submit quietly while her field is invaded and may, if the Australian threat develops, protest to Britain, seeking protection of her treaty rights by a restriction of Dominion shipments. It is believed that the Vestey fleet will operate in Australian waters soon, possibly involving regular direct shipments from the Rockh'ampton works of Messrs. Angliss and Company. The Daily Express says it understands that the secret' behind the merger is the perfection by Angliss and Co. of a new method of preserving beef, samples of which received in London are considered to be highly satisfactory.

"W. Weddell and Company, Limited, England, is a subsidiary of Union Cold Storage Company,,' Limited. The parent company, which is also the owner of the Blue Star Line of steamers, has a paid-up capital of £12,000,000. Share-, holding in subsidiaries amounts to £6,613,000. W. Angliss and Company has extensive meat interests in Australia, It is a private company and no details of the shareholding are available. NEW ZEALAND TRADE NEW VESSEL ORDERED THE BLUE 'STAR LINE -i LONDON. Jan. 23 The Blue Staj Line has ordered from Harland and Wolff, Belfast, a 13,400ton motor vessel capable of doing 16f knots, to inaugurate a monthly service to New Zealand.

The vessel is to be equipped to carry chilled beef and refrigerated produce. This is the Blue Star Line's third new vessel and 10th food ship for Empire trade ordered recently.

In addition to the three motor-ships ordered by the Blue Star Line seven other large . motor-ships have been ordered by different shipping companies for the New Zealand trade. The Commonwealth and Dominion Line ordered two vessels and one of them, the motorship Port Chalmers, has been built and is now en route from England to Australia with cargo. After discharge she will come to New Zealand,to load for Britain. The Federal Line has ordered two motor-ships, which are now being built and will be named Dorset and Durham. Three large motor-ships are also to be included in the Shaw, Savill and Albion "fleet. Two of the vessels were ordered "last May and the third one in December. >.