THE EXPORT TRADE IN MEATS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1947, 18 June 1891, Page 6

THE EXPORT TRADE IN MEATS.

Some 10 years only have elapsed since in this colony public attention was first directed to the ascertained efficacy of the refrigerating^ process, and the facilities thereby afforded for the transmission of our surplus meat productions to British markets. In the columns of tbe Daily Times and the Witness the Btookowners of this province were counselled again and again to take prompt aotion with the view to establish an export trade in refrigerated meats ; but for a time the importunities were unavailing. It ia proverbially difficult to persuade country folk to approach the consideration of a novel enter* prise, however materially their interests mayo be concerned. It was not therefore surprising that their ordinary apathy was for a while observed regarding the suggested enterprise. The subject certainly evoked considerable discussion, friendly and hostile ; for it will still ba well remembered how exhaustively it was j over-talked and over- written about, and mostly by persons incapable of grasping the merits of the adventure and its possible influence on the future prosperity of the colony. The looal interest in the question aroused at the time would probably havefliokered out had not Mr B. Wilson, the Bond street merchant, opportunely imparted to it a practioal aspect by the offer of a subscription of £100 towards the initiation of the enterprise. The subject was thus more forcibly impressed on public attention, and accordingly meetings were convened, and an association formed — the pioneer refrigerating oompany in tbe oolony. The example was quickly followed at other principal seaport towns, and within an incredibly short space of time from its inception the novel industry proved an ascertained and pronounced success. The subsequent marvellous development of the frozen meat trade, so hesitatingly adventured upon, is a matter of recent and familiar history, but there is no general conception of the fact that it haa accomplished more towards the rehabilitation of the credit of the colony than have legislative enactments or ephemeral Governments. In ill repute for indebtedness, the oolony was but little known other than as a persistent borrower until her resources were advertised, and practically advertised,/by the f aots that we sent annually increasing supplies of superior meat that from its very quality "btained preference, while the products of other countries and colonies, "in credit " from the financiers' standpoint, was inferior and saleable on'y at low prices, New Zealand productions topping the market, and meat suppliers may be well assured that, onoe their prejudices against "novelties" in foods are overcome, there are no better judges of quality in the world than the British artiz&ns and their wives. How ibe battle- of frozen meats has been fought and won by New Zealand is shown by the following tables, compiled by Major P. Oraigie, now statist for the Imperial Department of Agriculture, Great Britain. The figures give the total imports of dead meatj imported into the United King-

doth daring the tapis specified, but as they only extend to 1888, and as there are no returns available for other of the countries named since that [date, it will !be sufficient to Btate that our exports for 1889 and 1890 exceeded all previous reoords, and that for the current year there is almost a certainty of an export of 2,000,000 carcasses of sheep and lambs. IMPOBTS TO ENGLAND OF DEAD MEAT FROM 1870

From the above it will be perceived that while in the " total dead meat list " New Zealand exports are far more considerable than from the other countries named, the Argentina people approach us nearest in the volume ot frozen mutton.

Tbe position was not obtained without many struggles and saorificea on the part of the stockowners of the oolony, for all other parties concerned in the trade have taken good care to be well paid for their services. Indeed, notably from 1885, for at least two years sheep-farmers' profits in the colony were reduced to a minimum, and it was a subjeot for congratulation in Some Home journals that the trade was being sustained at a loss to the producers. The faots justified the conclusion, and so pertinent were they that by separate aotion the New Zealand Refrigerating Oompany, Dunedin, compelled a reduction in freights. The operation of this remedial aotion is well put in the following figures by Major Oraigie :— OHABQBa OH MUTTOW BXPOBTBD FBOM NEW ZKA-

Exporters of mutton are promised a further reduction of £d per 1b on freight, and given this, and a compulsory lowering of London charges or a diversion of the trade to other British ports, it would be impossible to forecast the limit of expansion of the New Zealand meat production, and for the simple reason that in no other country are there such facilities for the growth of stook food. The abatement of £d per lb freight in itself is a '.substantial enoouragement to sheep-farmers, for it is a sort of insurance against consequences of a fall in the price of wool. For example, £d per lb less freight on a 60lb sheep amounts to 15d, and this would compensate for a fall of 2d per lb on the wool of a 7jlb fleece.

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