NEW ZEALAND MEAT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7141, 31 May 1910, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND MEAT

FRAUDULENT SALES DAMAGING ITS REPUTATION.

A SCOTSMAN'S OPINION. Mr John Murray, a gentleman who lias Iffn Provo-t of Dunblane, Scotland, for six years, has been interesting himself in the marketing of New Zealand ■meat. He lias been impelled, to do this, iti r the first place, because h is experience on. British meat markets has disclosed the extensive manner in which inferior meat is being said as the produce o£ this country, and, in the second place, because ho has a relative in New Zealand, Mr James Todd, of Tawaha, Martinborough. i*y the last mail Mr Murray addressed an interesting communication to Mr Todd on the matter, which reads as follows: — "Circumstances which have come under my observation convince me that unless measures arc not taken to right the evils existing New Zealand meat will be seiiously prejudiced - on Horae markets. Your mutton and lamb is nearer in taste, texture and quality to our own moat than anything imported, while River Plato and Australian are coarser. Whether this is due to the climate, tho feeding or the breeds, I do not know, /but such is the fact. Canterbury lamb is increasing in demand, even in country districts such as Porth.shire. Of

course, price has much to do with it. Last year I sold n great many carcases, and this year the new supply being some weeks late in arriving we had to get Australian or'last season's. The evil I desire to point out is that owing to the growing reputation of New Zealand mutton and lamb all other descriptions of frozen meat are being sold under its name, especially being palmed of? as prime Canterbury. Bow can the fraud be checked? There could be a detective system adopted, ond prosecutions brought against offenders, but this would only touch the fringe of the matter. I remember some years ago that the Now Zealand Premier had an idea of selling New Zealand moat and prodiico in retail stores owned bv the New Zealand Government. At the time I did not think the scheme could be worked at a profit; but row, ii? my opinion, something of that nature should bo

arranged for. along with a system of detection and prosecution of offenders in purveying other than New Zealand mutton or lamb to the public as such. To Home consumers frozen lamb or mutton is just frozen lamb or mutton, and if Australian or River Plate is given instead of New Zealand they cannot tell the difference, except that they have been sold a dry and tasteless " article, which loads them to condemn all frozen mutton and lamb. If you could only get your farmers to urge on the Government to investigate the matter in a thorough way—not by an interested shipping trade,, but by exports here in Great Britain—it might ultimately come to see that only by having stores or retail places will they place the special article they produce in New Zealand to advantage and ultimately to the benefit of both producers and consumers. £ I may say that I am well and Intimately ’ acquainted with the meat markets of. Glasgow, Edinburgh. London, and Liverpool, and in the wholesale deportments of all these substitution goes on. Lam convinced that the establishment of stores for retailing to the consumer would not be very difficult to set m> or arrange in all the populous towns'and centres of Great Britain, where meat, butte'*, cheese, and other produce could b 3 sold and distributed. In the Glasgow meat market you can buy from agents Australian lamb at 5d per pound River Plate- at 4d and Canterbury at 6Jd—these are the prices I have been paying—so you can see what substitution means in increased profits to dealers as well as, retailers/*