FROZEN MUTTON TRADE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 994, 20 March 1891, Page 20

FROZEN MUTTON TRADE.

A gentleman who arrived by the Coptlo informs ns that a large proportion cf New Zealand frozen mutton arriving in London is of such excellent quality and in suoh prime condition that it ia bought up by retailers and eold as English fed mutton, at the highest market rates, while Australian and any other foreign mutton is placed on the market as New Zealand fed. While we deplore the fact that inferior mutton is being palmod off on consumers as the genuine produce of our grand pastures, we are not blind to the faot that our mutton being eold and accepted os English-fed opens up a much wider market. The retail butcher buys our mutton at, aoy 5d per lb. or even less, and retails it at the highest market rates, say 9d and 10J per lb. He thus makes a clear pro fit of from 4d to 5d per lb., while his profit on English mutton would not exceed 2d or 3d. It is therefore to his advantage to continue to buy New Zealand mutton, much to his and our profits. It is deception, certainly, but of a very harmless kind. A commercial deception practised in other lines besides mutton. White on the meat question wo may mention that the enterprising Gear Meat oompany intend sending their secretary for atrip round the world to study the meat t ra de in ail countries. He will make a special visit to Chicago, and not only inspect the great meat canneries in that city, but ( vrill endeavour to Obtain all the latest ideas of machinery and smart business notions, for which the Americans take the palm. His trip should result in many benefits, not only to the pushing Gear Co., but to Petone in particular and the whole Colony in general. It was by personal visits to the various markets of the world and studying the actual requirements of the people, that the Americans built up their enormous export trade. It is a pleasure to see a firm in this country imitating their paying experiment.