NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MEAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17912, 17 April 1920, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MEAT

THE QUESTION OF HANDLING.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S LABOUR.

A leading firm of stock and station agents haa received from London correspondenco which haa passed between the hon. secretary of the Now Zealand Agents' Association (Mr James .hing) and tho High Commissioner regarding tho methods of dealing with New Zealand frozen meat. As it deals with what promises to bo an anxious situa tion in the future, it will doubtless be of interest to primary producers and others. Mr King writes to the High Commissioner, under date February 3, drawing attention, on behalf of tho association, to tho position likely to arise "unless some steps are taken promptly to send more refrigerated steamers to New Zealand to reduce tho 6tocks in store there." Ho adds:

"If it is found impossible to clear tho stores before privato trading commences, as seems moro than probable, I am to suggest that you obtain from the Imperial authorities on assurance that the ordinary New Zealand steamers shall all bo available for the carrying of the next season's meat on privato account, and special steamers be sent out to lift tho balanco of tho Imperial supplies. lam also to point out that during the war New Zealand vessels wero re. gularlv diverted to the Argentine on tho plea of propinquity, and it is only fair that an equal quantity of Argemtino steamers should now bo sent out to New Zealand. By this means relief will '>o given to Now Zealand, and as two journeys can bo made in the same timo to the Argentine this will also help to relievo the congestion in our stores here. Further, I am to suggest that representations be made by you to the Board of Trade that the prices for New Zealand meat be further reduced with the view of inoreasing consumption." Sir Thomas Mackenzie, in his reply, after referring to the fremient representations he lias made to tho British Government authorities, on the subject, says:— " Though it is difficult in matters of this kind to, assess tho actual amount of improvement resulting, there is no doubt that our efforts have achieved a measure of success. For instance, in the autumn of last year a great deal of congestion was caused by the utilisation of cold storage room for storing commodities such-as wool, etc., which do not require refrigeration. This practice has been stopped to the advantage of the trade. Then at a later date oame the trouble caused by the Ministry of Fpod storing excessive quantities of bacon at the porta, and opportunity was taken to join in representing the desirability of transferring this foodstuff to inland centres, and thus leaving moro space available in the cold stores at the ports. In this direction, too, rile efforts of all concerned have been successful. As regards tonnage, the High Commissioner is in constant communication with tho Board of Trade, the Tonnage Committee, and the New Zealand Government, and_ you can . rest assured that no opportunity is lost in pressing upon all concerned the necessities of the situation as viewed from the New Zealand standpoint. That theso representations have been successful is evident by the fact that the number of steamers allotted to New Zealand last year as compared with 1918 was 74 as against 49, and I would also remind you that, whereas there i.ere nearly 8£ million carcases of meat in stores in New Zealand at the end of June, 1919, the number at the end of the year was under 4£ million, so that facilities were provided for lifting the whole of the killings between June and December, and four million oarcases in addition. Communications aro now passing between the Board of Trade and this department in connection . with the allotment of the March and April steamers, though it is understood that for various reasons the has been compelled to revise its shipping programme for the next two months, and our efforts are directed towards securing other vessels to replace thoso diverted. The High Commissioner has also urged personally upon tho Food Controller the view that as the Argentine contract with the Imperial Government has expired steamers should l>e diverted to lift Government purchases in New Zaland, instead of being used to bring home Argentine free meat. The Ministry could not however, support the proposal, in view of the great difficulty being experienced in disposing of the quantities of New Zealand meat already available. Lastly, on the question of the necessity of increasing consumption at this end, i am to inform you that proposals m that connection have many times been gut forward officially to the n, » t n r of Food and tho Board of Trade, ami the subject has also been ventilated in tho. press. As you aro aware, reductions in price have been made by the authorises, and in view of the fact that % 1^ ade J s ?, h °rtly to become responsible for the distribution, the High Commissioner recently strongly urged it to consider not only, the differentiation in the prices of mutton and lamb, but also an all-round reduction in selling prioes even, if this should result in decreasing or eliminating any profit t{ie Imperial Govern mwit may have reckoned upon. We have no - Ice of tho board certain difficulties experienced in provincial centres by distributors in obtaining eup. J ter > B been satisfactorily '""ll . 6 firms con «»ned will in °. b16 , t0 as much meat as they desire for their trade." In a summary of operations connected I rr +l, SPOSa ° f N , Ze!ja "d moat menf theW*h for Government, the High Commissioner supplements his expknation to the Agents' AsYocktion! une of the most important' paragraphs in the report is tho following :-«on e or two paragraphs from the New Zealand press have come under my notico recently, in m%J Den f lo j- 'i of 41,0 unsatisfactory methods of discharging and handling New Zealand meat here and the bad appearance it presents on the Smithfield market, etc Comparisons have been drawn with South American meat and the freshness and bloom of the latter contrasts with the staloness, broken and dirty state of the former to the detriment of its reputation. There is certainly a great deal of truth in theso reports, and the explanation, I think, is that New Zealand is suffering, and will continue to suffer, from the effects of causes brought about by purely war conditions. The prin--51? °/ - es * k dismemberment, and, while the adoption of this practice undoubtedly helped to save the situation from a storage and tonnage point of view, it must be admitted, that its effect on the appearance and repuation of our meat is detrimental. The cut carcase m particularly liable to loss through the dismembered portions breaking through the bagging, and the shipping companies have not been able to use the mechanical in discharging from tho vessels. Further, the method involves considerable waste owing to perishing. I am Pflad that tho practice has been cHscontinned. in the dominion, although I quite recognise, the boon it has been in enabling larger shipments to come during tho war."