FREIGHTS ON FROZEN MEAT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11400, 18 April 1899, Page 7

FREIGHTS ON FROZEN MEAT.

Tho following correspondence has passed between Mi- I<\ Waymoulii, Secretary of Iho Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, and tho Minister for Kailways:— "ThoHon. the Minisler for Railways, Wellington.—Sir,—l linvo observed from nowspiipor reports that you are contemplating reductions in railway rates; the items mentioned at present aro grain and dairy produce. 1 would respectfully bring under your notice tho needs of tho frozen meat trade in this respeci. Frozen meat is now claused as D, which , makes tho rate from our respective works to port of shipment: Belfast. 15 miles, 7s 6d per ton ; Fnirfiold. 55 milna, 18b Ed per ton : tho rate of grain for the sumo stations would bo 3s lOd and 9s Id respectively. In urgum- upon you the claims of this trado, I would point out that it if essentially a national institution ; your railway statistics will show Iho value of tho incidental traffic by reference to tho yearly revenue derived from Belfast and Islington, as it h not the meat alone which is carried, but also tho wool, tallow, preserved meals, etc., which aro subjects of daily production and consumption. In addition to the above, tho freezing works, with their subsidiary business, are very largo employers of labour; our wages at Belfast last year amounted to £29,129. Further, any reduction in railway charges would at once bo to the benefit of the small farmers, who are now the largest suppliers of stock for freezing, as the cost of rail to port on the meat, .is well as the wool and tallow, regulates the price paid by the farmers, where the stock is bought for delivery at the works, and where the farmer ships himself, when, of course, he has to pay the chargos. The extent to which the trade is spreading amongst tho farmers of this district will be best realised when I tell you that this company, having 7500 shares, has 646 shareholders, almost the whole of whom are faimors in the Canterbury district, and a-large proportion are meat shippers or producers. In addition to this, we have about 350 customers and clients who are occasional shippers, but not shareholders, thus making the number of farmers directly trading with this company to be over 900, and, as before stated, any reduction in rale would go straight to their pockets. To take ou>new'FaJrficld works as an instance for comparison with other charges, I would draw your attontion to tho fact that, as before stated, the present charge is 18s 8d per ton, or exactly one-tenth of a penny.per 1b; our total charge from Belfast, which includes railage lo" Lyttellou, and which we vary according to local chargos, is one-fifth of & penny per lb; this includes receiving, draftins, slaughtering, freezing, bagging, dedelivering to port, and providing bills of

landing, each not of which costs 3s for stamps, and as fruiu Fairliuld wo propose making tho ruilago nn extra charge, tlio farmers will at onco nee the difference. I would further urge that tho competition from Australia and Him1 Plate has been seriously felt. I need not go beyond this year as an instance ot tliH and name tho opening price for lamb For both last year and this. Ijasl year lamb opened in London at Yd per lb, this year (in (■oneC(|i!enco of tho heavy importations from Australia) it opened under 5d per lb, and is to-day quoted at 4JUI. In view of all the circumstances, therefore T trust you will see your way to considoi' the frozon meat trado in your proposal reductions; in Canterbury more- especially its scopo is far wider than that of the dairy produce industry, and, therefore, a substantial reduction in the rato of carriago would bo fully appreciated by Iho farmers in ; tho district, and would encourage thorn to take steps towards extending thoir operations.—Yours faithfully, F. Waymouth, Secretary. Christctnirch, March 22." "-Now %ecili\ncl Government Railways head office, Wellington, 4th April, 1899.—Sir,— With reference to your letter" of tho 22nd iilt., urging that the railway ratos on frozen meat bo reduced, I have tho honour, by direction of the Minister for Railways to inform you that ho rcgrotß ho cannot see his way to make any further reduction in the frozen meat rates.— I have, etc., T. Konayne, general manager.