The Meat Export Trade. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2157, 27 June 1895, Page 9

The Meat Export Trade. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — The frozen meat trade has now got into such a deplorable state that it can hardly be expected that the farmers will feel much encouragement in going on producing good mutton with the prospect of getting only Id or l£d a pound for it. This severe depression is, however, causing a- general feeling of attention to be drawn to the subject with the view of endeavouring to find out some practical means of placing the trade on such a footing as would give a better return to the growers. Notably among the suggestions put forward are those of Mr Nathan and Mr Orbell. The proposals of these gentlemen are in the direction of forming & large co-operative society of the stockowners of the colony, with responsible branches or agencies in the Hose country and elsewhere for the proper handling and distribution of the 4 meat. It is contended that a powerful company composed on these lines would be in the best of positions for spreading the sales and arranging freights, &c, on the mest favourable terms, and 80 managing the busint S3 tbat there would be a great saving on all the presont charges. There is no doubt if such an extended scheme could be carried into effect it would be productive of good, but I am afraid there are great difficulties in the way of bringing it to a successful issue. Existing agencies and freezing companies would have to be arranged with or absorbed, and besides the farming community is not the mtsb ready to rush into company-mailing, even

although there is a fair prospect of such a formation proving of vital interest to its own industry. To show the influence, however, that a strong combination of this kind might have I would mention that it is understood that the people who have now a large control of the trade cau put thuir meat on the market at an expense of from jd to |d per lb, or Is 6d a carcase less than tho producers can do themselves. The expenses on frozen meat have for some 'time raDged at from ljd to 2d per lb. Our Australian friends have a greater privilege by getting their freight done at less than the announced rates for New Zealand. This might well go to show that the fre'ghtfrom here could also be reduced to Jd a lb. If this were done, and a small concession made on each of the other miscellaneous charges, the coat of putting meat on the market might thence kept within 1^(1 per lb. These reductions might well be made in view of the larger and steadier output which has of late been going on. As good mutton is now stlling at 3-_d at Homo, this would leave 2d to the grower —a price which has always been admitted as a fair one, —under which the industry would flourish. In looking to the future markets for colonial meat, I am confident if properly handled the dude is only in its infancy, et-11 much m-re of it will be spread through the interior of England, while the Coiitiuental countries of Europe, for mutton at least, will yet ofifer a vast fu:ld for its expansion. At prt-sent the restrictions to the importations there are great, »ad it will he necessary to sell cheap for a time in order to draw attention to and create a demand for it. To give some idea of the probabilities of an extension of tho mutton trade in this direction, I have collated a few figures regarding the population and number of sheep to be found iv some of the countries with which we have an interest. In New Zealand, far each 100 of the population there are 3000 sheep. In Eugland there are 80 shcip, while in Germany, Austria, Btljium, and Franca combined the average is only 36 aheep to each 100 of the p( ople. These four Continental c">ui»trieß have a j.opulation of 136,000,000 and 49,000,000 of sWp- England's population is 37.C00.000, w lb. 30,000,000 of ehe -p, and last year she imported 4,000,000 of ftczen mutton. It will ihus b« oecn, if mat on is to form a material portion if the meat diet of the Continent, that a large quantity of it will have to be imported. A strong company, repre enticg the producing iuterests of the colony, might therefore do much iv the way of fostering a trade in this direction —I oju, &c, J. Ar Anderson. Waiwcra South, Juno 19.

Kehosene ron Vekmin.—When pigstyej are infested with vermin the inmates are not very happy and cannot thrive. Lime is cheap, and if the whole of the styes are washed with it fome of the vermin would disappear. Carbolic acid and water sil'irkled on the floor will also have a good eftVct in driving the pests away or killing thf m outright. A pigurierler in America thus relates his experience with kcroteue : —" I tried a little experimeut during last Aogußt with our ordinary coal oil. I saw a number of my hogs were not doing well. They were continually rubbing against the fence or some post. I put lgil of oil into my kunpsack eprayer, put it on my shoulders and walked oub to the pen. I could not gtt my hogs quiet enough to spray well, so I put bouio corn ihop j into their box, and while they were citing I gave them au excellent covering of oil, very finely put on by said sprayer. My neighbours said, • The hair will come off,' others said, •It will blister.' I awaited my result. Next morniutf, on examining their backs, I found great loose scales of dirt and marge, and uuder these and among them were thousands of dead j vermin. Result —my hegs are smooth and glick, parasites all gone. Have triad same in hen houee to kill chicken mites, also parasites on horses. A flaunel cloth saturated with best coal oil and rubbed over eggs from bot fly on boxes' legs cause eggs to loosen and drop in a short time." Improvi'Mekt in Horses.—The improvement obtained fcr horee* during the past 300 veara can readily be understood by any who will recognise facts. When Charles II ascended the throne, tbe native-bred English racehorse was easily beaten by tbe imported Fa*tern horse 3. These, when mated with Britith stcck, with the small pony and the great horse, gave to their offspring improved form and qualifications. This improved breed, when mixed inter se, produced a still belter class of animal, to which the Darley and Godolphin Arabians gave those excellent impreesions which have resulted in the ultimate development of the English thoroughbred. l?iom the days of tbe Tudors to the present the racehorse has increased in eizp, and this has been caused by crofß*ing and judicious telection of parents. The late Admiral Rous thought differently — namely, that the English thoroughbred was a pure Eastern exotic ; that he was a lineal descendant oE the Arab, " without a single drop of Eoglish blood id his veins " ; and, all hough he poiuted out how the racer had gradually, from century to century, increased in ht ight, he attiibuted this development to the effects of our "damp, foggy climate," combined with "good paiture aod judicious management. He has increased in size, strength, and vigour in theie damp, foggy little islands." If climate and good pasture caaeed all the improvement which the admiral admits did cccur, how is it that, antecedent to Charles ll's day, tbe small horres did not increa'e in size? The climate and pasture payed the same part then as they are said to h*ve done later on, and surely the Tudors would not have enacted laws for the slaughter of email horses and " unlikely tits," if they had recognised that good pastures and a humid atmosphere would have produced greater size. The truth is that the hortes of England at this period had degenerated, perhaps the result of inbreeding, and worthless progeny had become too common, an evil which it only needed a fresh cross of good blood to remedy ; this was obtained from various sources, but principally from the Eastern importations. Every physiologist knows how sometimes in a cross, when two animals are mated, their offspring will attain greater size, strength, and vigour than either parent, and this will take place even if the colt, during the early periods of its existence, is subjected to indifferent management, and is not fed from the best pastures. Rich pasture and a moist climate may play an important part in causing improvements in our domestic breeds of animals to remain permanent, but it never has produced nor could produce size, unless the materials for its creation have been ia existence. —The Nineteenth CeDtury. Valuadle Discovery for. the Hatr. —lf your hair is turning grey, or white, or falling off, use the "Mexican Hair Renewer," for it will positively restore in every case Orty or White Hair to its original colour without leaving the disagreeable smell of most "restorers." It makes the hair charmingly beautiful, as well as promoting the growth of the hair on bald spot 3 where the glands arc not decayed. Ask your chemist for "Tilß Mexican Hair Renewer," Sold by chemists and perfumers everywhere at 3s 6d per bottle ■Wholesale depot, 33 Farringdon road, London.— Asvr.