MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1672, 8 December 1883, Page 14

MISCELLANEOUS.

A statement by Messra J. B. Johnston and 00., of this city (says the Sydney Morning Herald), makes a much-needed explanation of si telegram received some days ago upon the subject of the Home market for Australian meat. ■We were informed that the market was glutted ; indeed, the telegram seemed to justly bear the inference that the supply had temtjorarily 1 exceeded the demand, and that a 'cessation of shipments was advisable. Such an announcement in the first stage of development of a great business was, if true, disheartening ; but generally it was regarded as of very doubtful truth, and by those best versed in the matterwas at once put aside as a ridiculous impassibility. S^ill an explanation was needed, and that_ explanation comes in the letter we have noticed. Messrs Johnson quote correspondence received by them form Messrs Low, Huckvale, and Co.—" one of the oldest and best experienced houses in London for handling such produce, who are not only agents for the sale of the output of tho largest meat-preserving company in the United States, but also for the three most important in Queensland, and other companies in New Zealand and this colony" — to this effect : — " At present all consignments are placed in the hands of one salosman in the Smith field market. You will readily see that one man with heavy stocks of perishable nature on hand is compelled at times io sacrifice." This is the explanation— we have but one agent for our meat, and it is that agents' clients, and not the people of London, who find a difficulty in disposing of our shipments. The remedy surely is plain as the cause. We require competent agencies at both ends— ■means of distribution in England as of gathering and preserving in Australia. The business requires managing right through from the station in the interior to the butcher's stall in the London market. The trade is' new, and we are foolishly endeavouring to work in with old appliances. We are blocked by the overweighted salesman, humbugged by the middleman, swindled by the retail butcher, who sells Australian mutton as best home-bred at a shilling a pound, and whoße customers are, in their ignorance, well contended with their oargains. We need our own agents, storerooms, stalls, and inspectors at home, and a bold advertisement upon each quarter or carcass, which would convince even the most illiterate and prejudiced of English purchasers that meat could be brought from Australia and so prepared and exhibited that the most fastidious housewife could find no fault with colour, odour, or general appearance of her favourite joint.

The last report of the chief inspector of stock in New South Wales furnishes some facts and figureß strikingly illustrative of the expansion of pastoral enterprise in that Colony. The number of miles of fencing is estimated at 920,000, which, a,t an average cost of £51 per mile, represents an expenditure of £46,920,000. There are 9475 ' dams, representing, at an average cost of £101, £956,975; there are 15,853 tanks, which, at an average of £180 ss, have cost £2,858,404 10s; and there are 2195 wells, which, at an average of £307 10s, have cost £674,962 10s— being a total outlay of £4,460,342 for water supply and storage. It must strike the New Zealand squatter that in regard to the last-mentioned item he is much better off than his Australian confrere.

A Taßmanian journal, writing of the prospect of ttie fruit crop in that island, says :— " The fruit crop of the coming season bids fair to b"e as deficient in quantity as the last was over-abundant. The frosts have been more fatal to the stone fruit crop already than has been felt for many years. The severest effects have been felt from the Old Beach northward, both sides of the Derwent to Bothwell. Apricots, peaches, plums, and pears are said to be destroyed, and so severe was the frost that rhubarb and asparagus were blackened. The effectd of the frost seem to be more severely felt at Sandy Bay in the destruction of the gooseberry crop ; where thousands of bushels vere gathered last year, now there is literally none to gather. The Huon district has also been visited with severe frosts, but we do not yet know what fruits have suffered most. It would appear that there is a good prospect of some of the best pears bearing a better crop than usual. It is yet early to judge of the apple crops, but a general complaint is made of the deficient crop of French crabs. It is anticipated that the apple crop will not exceed one-half of that of the past year."

The London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus writes : — " While disposed to view the frozen meat trade favourably, the most experienced salesmen discountenance the idea that an unlimited market can be found for Australian and Now Zealand mutton. They consider that for some time to comg 2000 sheen

a week could be absorbed all the year round at prices which, though much below thoso obtained for English and Scotch mutton, would yet prove remunerative. If larger supplies are i?ent, they may bo disposed of, bub the price will suffer."