CHILLED BEEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22183, 9 August 1935, Page 7

CHILLED BEEF

ARGENTINA'S ADVANTAGE PROBLEM FOR AUSTRALIA A PESSIMISTIC VIEW The difficulties faced by Australia in trying to compete successfully with Argentina in the chilled beef trade were stressed by Mr. J. Ashton, chairman of directors of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, Limited, at the annual meeting last week. Mr. Ashton said the conclusion appeared irresistible that Australia's interests lay chiefly in the direction of developing the fat lamb trade. "Britain must continue to import large quantities of beef for years to come, the actual quantity depending upon the measure of success she achieves in encouraging home production," isaid Mr. Ashton. Can Britain depend upon Australia to supply any great percentage of tbci beef she consumes, or musrt she, conceding a sympathy for Dominions overseas, still continue purchasing large quantities from Argentina? If Great Britain materially diminishes the quantity of her beef imports from Argentina, while not materially increasing in tho near future her homo production, can Australia be depended upon to ; make good the shortage thus occasioned? "It cannot be overlooked that Argentina is the great beef-producing country of the world," said Mr. Ashton. "The great physical advantage she possesses over Australia is that she has 22,000,000 acres of land under lucerne, which enables her regularly to turn off every year well-bred cattle at a tender age. The official estimate of the area under lucerne in Australia is 500,000 acres, less than 1\ per cent of tho / Argentine area. Moreover, nearly the whole of tho beef exports of Australia come from Queensland, a great proportion of the cattle in that State being raised on natural grasses in districts where rainfall conditions are precarious. The bulk of the cattle killed in New South Wales and Victoria are in the main only sufficftent to meet tiie needs of home consumption. "This means that in the competition for the British market between Australia and Argentina, the Commonwealth has to depend upon Queensland's production only. In this competition, it is evident that Argentina has a •stupendous natural advantage in its lucerne area." HEMP AND TOW GRADINGS FOR JULY A total of 1151 bales of hemp was graded at Dominion ports last month, compared with 1412 bales in June and 975 bales in July, 1934. The gradings were as follows, with figures for July, <r; 1934, in parentheses:—Good fair, 252 (134) baler,; high fair, 236 (256); lowfair, 307 (258); common, 212 (287); rejected, 133 ( 40); condemned, 11 ( —). The quantities graded at tho various ports were; —Auckland, 211 bales; Wellington, 578; Picton, 32; Blenheim, 19; Bluff, 311, Tow gradings comprised 316 bales, against 215 bales in June and 307 bales in July, 1934. In addition, 25 bales of stripper slips were graded. DAIRY COMPANY ELECTION HOKIANCA NOMINATIONS [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] . KOHUKOHtr. Thursday The following nominations have been received to fill three vacancies on the directorate of the Hokianga Dairy Company:—Messrs. H. Cox (Oue), D. Donclly (Kohukohu), A. M. Dunning (Kohnkohu), George Harding (Motukaraka), James Joyce (Horeke). W. Leaf (Whirinaki), T. W. Mcfcown (Rawene), B. Peita (Panguru). The election will take place on September 9. AUSTRALIAN DUTY NEW ZEALAND-MADE RACQUETS (Received August 8. 9.25 p.m.) CAVBERRA. Aug. 8 A customs proclamation gazetted today provides for the admission to the Commonwealth of New Zealand-made tennis racquets at a duty of 20 per cent ad valorem, which is a reduction of 10 per cent on tho former duty. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE (Received August 8, 7.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. t \ Following are to-day's quotations on the Sydney produce market:—Wheat: Country sidings, bagged, 2s 6d; bulk, 2s sijd; equal to about 3s Id and 3s lid respectively ex trucks Sydney. Flour: £lO 17s 6d. Bran and pollard: £5 ss. Potatoes: Tasrnanian, £15,10 a; Victorian and Western Australian, £l4. Onions: Victorian brown, £ll 10s. Maiae: Yellow and white, 4s 3d, Adelaide prices are:—Wheat: Growers' lots, 3s. Flour: Bakers' lots, £ll 10s. Bran: £5. Pollard: '£s 2s 6d. Oats: Algerian, Is 9d. Barley, 2s 5d to 2s (3d.