THE RURAL WORLD

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7448, 24 May 1911, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD

AUSTRALIA’S MEAT EXPORT TRADE MU ARTHUR, KIDMAN OrTIMISTIC. After a thirteen months* tour of inquiry in connection with the meat export trade in Canada, the United States. England, and Continental Europe, Mr Arthur Kidman, the gieat ''cattle man** of Australia, has just returned to Sydney imbued with the conviction that the grazing interests of Australia have excellent piospects before fcaora. At tho same time, ho is not sanguine of new markets of any extent outside of Great Britain being opened up to the exporters of Australasia in tno near future. As an exporter of meat and. other frozen produce, the primary object of Mr Kidman's trip was to push business and pave tho way for trade with new markets if possible. Incidentally, of course, ho investigated the conditions under which the meat trade in particular was conducted wherever ho went. # He also inspected all the leading abattoirs of the centres visited, to ascertain how those now being erected at Homebush Bay compared with tho best of other parts of tno world. His conclusion is that € in main principles there will be nothing finer in the world than the Homebush abattoirs when completed. There may be a few details, he thought, that might bo improved upon, but generally they have been designed upon tno most up-to-date lines. And Mr Kidman sees no objection from an exporter's point of view in having tho slaughtering done up the Parramatta .river, if proper, means of transit to the city are provided. After touring Canada, Mr Kidman went on to Chicago, thence through all tho chief meat centres of the United States, right down to Southern California, finishing up in New York. Wherever he went, particularly.in the States, he impressed upon those engaged in the trade that Australia could offer them the primest of meat at considerably lower rates than were current, pfovided the tariff was reduced or removed and the meat was freely admitted. Although he sees no immediate likelihood of # the American markets being made available to Australia, Mr Kidman looks upon the prospects generally of tho business developing in the course of time as decidedly satisfactory, as prices are much higher in Canada and the United States than in Australasia and the people want cheaper foods. Going on to London, Mr Kidman spent some time in visiting leading centres in England and investigating the conditions surrounding the meat trade. He thinks there is cextainly plenty of room for improvement in regard to, the delivery of the meat from tho ships and in the handling of it until it reaches the market. "Nevertheless/* he said, "their conditions in this respect are better than ours on this side. In Liverpool, for instance, tho meat is almost exclusively carried in insulated waggons from the ship to the freezing stores. That means an improvement in the appearance of the stuff, and I should vexy much like to see tho saine system adopted here. It would enhance the appearance and condition of the meat on arrival. in England; provided, of course, the shipping companies did their pprt** In London, too, meat is carted from ta© docks to Smithfield in insulated vans.

Mr Kidman was questioned as to the foundation for tho very serious allegations made by the New Zealand committee which inquired into the handling of frozen meat in London. Hia opinion 1 was that the defects in the system "of handling, and • the statements as to the meat being carried up the river in insanitary barges, had been exaggerated. He was prepared to admit, as already stated, 1 that there was ample room for improvement all round, and especially that there should be more expedition in getting the meat from the snip's hold to the market or up-town-stores. There should also be more cover between the ship and the waggons, particularly In the rainy season. Trade in England in Australian meat, as everybody knows, has been on the increase. Mr Kidman's conviction is that tho business both in mutton and beef will go on expanding He has not the slightest doubt about it. The meat, besides commanding a greater sale ill the oig centres of population, is finding its way into outlying districts. While these latter buy in a small way as yet. tho avenues for distributing the meat are all the time widening, and are likely to continue to do so. . Mr Kidman visited the chief cities or France, Belgium, Germany, Austria* and Switzerland, and he is not at all hopeful of 4 Australia getting a footing lor some time to come. "Tno people on. the Continent want our meat/* he said.. "They- want it badly, and arc really clamouring for it, but the agrarian interests are against it, and their political representatives are' putting'up a pretty strong opposition. But it is only a question of time when we will get into ono of the ' centres near ’England, say in France, • and then, once the barrier is broken down, in my opinion, all the markets will-be opened to us. That will be of immense importance to Australia.' Mr. Kidman is not inclined to attach much importance to the fact that small shipments of Australian imittbn have tins year been admitted into Switzerland. Ho regardsdt more or loss as apolitical move to please the people for the time being, and that it cannot be taken as an indication . that - their markets are to bo thrown open to us. "But/* he emphasised, "it must come; the people will have cheaper meat." In France. he said, where the tariff and the conditions regarding ‘slaughtering are absolutely prohibitive, decent mutton cannot be obtained for household purposes under Is j per lb, and even inferior quality sells j at about lOd. Our best grades of frozen j meat ho regarded as equal to anything • the general public could get in France.

NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW BIG MONEY FOB'APPLES. There is big prize money at the National Dairy Show for the grower of choice apples, vegetables, and farm roots. The dairy show* malt os a feature of three departments, for instance, in apples there is a first points prize of .£3 3s, and a second points prize of '<£2 2s; a .£2 2s first prize for the best six stunner apples; prizes of «£5, X 3, and *£2 for best collections of six varieties. This is the champion prize of the Dominion, the first also taking the Hoyal Horticultural Society's medal. Allotted to three classes for case of apples there is a points prize of £2 2s, besides cash of <£4 10s. The apple classification is for distinct varieties in each class judged on their merits. The success achieved in the past seven shows by the executive in specialising for apples has popularised the prize competition all over the North Island. The yearly display of fruit at the dairy show presents a magnificent sight to the visiter. Not the least important is the judging of the apples by an expert pomo’ogist from the Department of Agriculture; this in Itself will be very instructive to the exhibitor and the public. There are other features at this great National Dairy Show, and a note to the secretary. Box 85. Palmerston North, will obtain all information on every subject mentioned in the schedule.