THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2007, 11 August 1892, Page 8

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

OTAGO SHEEP SHIPPED FROM LYTTELTON.

We mentioned last week that a line of fat sheep rejected at Burnside as unfit for export were sent to Canterbury. The Tapanui Courier explains that the sheep in question were fattened in that district by Mr James Henderson, and rejected at the freezing works on account of their great weight. The Canterbury exporters do not object to big sheep, providing they are prime. The bulk of the freezing sheep from the district are going to Canterbury this season to the Islington works, and they are so much thought of that there is practically an unlimited demand for the best sheep, even if they are a little on the heavy side. From this ifc would appear that the standard of the local company is not that which is set up in Christchurch. In this connection the following extract from the North Otago Times is of interest : — " The other day 25 truck loads of sheep left the Oamaru district for the Belfast freezing works, Christchurch, and a large number of sheep have been railed to that place from Tapanui and other ♦ places down south. Another consignment is also going forward from this district. The reason for this is that *he price offering at Christchurch for freezing sheep is 2s or 3s better than at Oanmru and again tho charges for freezing, &c, are lower there than here, lb is not expected tb il f highor range of prices will continue in Curistehurch, because these things equalise

themselves — prices must either go up here or come down in Christchurch. We cannot, however, see why sheep, at equal prices, should be railed through to Christchurch, when we have all the plant for putting them through here. The charges here, if higher, must be reduced to me'efc the contingency. At the present time Christchurch is doing most of the freezing for the South Island, while the freezing works in other localities are comparatively idle. It does not require us to point out that one of two things must be done : the works here and in Dunedin must be closed or an attempt must be made to cope with the contingency which has arisen."

A comparison of the prices at Addington and Burnside for fat sheep sold on tho 3rd inst. gives the following result : —

Addington. — The entry of fat sheop was a singularly large one, and all type 3 were represented. The sale was not satisfactory to buyers or sellers, as the stock train from the south, which is usually alongside the yards long before daylight, did not arrive till after 11 o'clock iv the morning, and its contents— 71 trucks of sheep, numbering nearly •4000— laad to be hurried into tho market, which they completely glutted. The result was that, with the exception of the primest freezers, there was an irregular market, and towards its close values fluctuated. As a consequence a large proportion of the entry was withdrawn and a good many were disposed of at a considerable sacrifice, lor best freezing wethers and maiden ewes, from IDs to 23s 10d was given, prices varying from 3Jd to 3Jd pur lb, all counted ; but the sale of crossbred ewes and merinos was so varied as to render it impossible to note a value. Some very good merino wethers were sold up to 15s lid, and some went as low as 9s lid. — Lyttelton Times. Burnside. — 3330 crossbreds and GOO merinos penned. The whole were disposed of,' with the exception of perhaps a few pens, which were passed in for another occasion. While the demand was fairly good, prices for best sheep receded quite Is per head ; medium sorts would show a decline of fully Is 6d per head on last week's rates. Best crossbred wethers brought 17s to 19s 3d ; ordinary, 13s to 15s 6d ; best crossbred ewes, 14s 6d to Itfs 6d ; ordinary, 13s to 13a 9d ; merino wethers, medium quality, 7s 3d to 11s 9d.