THE FROZEN MEAT QUESTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2250, 15 April 1897, Page 4

THE FROZEN MEAT QUESTION.

There are not many men to be found who have spent some time in business in England and have returned to narrate their experiences for the ', benefit of their fellow colonists; con- > sequently, when such a gentleman is * found it is naturally to be expected j that he has been placed in possession ; of almost unique opportunities of gain- J ing information which should be of the utmost value to those who have busi- \ ness connections with the old country, j Mr GL Jameson is in the position we | have described. For upwards of two j years he has represented in London ! the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative j Association, whose headquarters are in > Christchurch, and it is the post he has ; just vacated which has been assumed ' by Mr T. Mackenzie, late M.H.E. for , Clutha. Mr Jameson has been inter- , viewed by representatives of the two : morning papers in Christchurch, and j what he has to say is not only full of j intrinsic interest, but of special interest I as well, in view of the present depres- ! sion in the frozen meat trade. In Mr ' Jameson's opinion the first thing to be < sought is combination at this end for . the purpose of regulating and equalising ! the output. It is perfectly obvious ' that alternate gluts and famines have not only an injurious effect on prices, but that they dislocate trade. Mr Jameson's idea is that the colonial freezing companies should j combine, not necessarily financially, j but commercially, and regulate the j supply so that there should not i be a glut of New Zealand meat in London one week, and none at all the next. This is eminently to be desired if it were only practicable. We I should imagine that it would be very I difficult, for instance, for the Southland Frozen Meat Company to fraternise j with Nelson and Co., who are not only j their local rivals but have important interests elsewhere that must be considered. It seems to us that combinaI tion at the other end, as successfully I accomplished by Mr' Twopeny on behalf of Australian producers, is not only much more easy, but likely to be more effectual. It is to be regretted that the evenness of quality which formerly distinguished New Zealand mutton is gradually deteriorating, and it seems that the good name of the colony is still further injured by the continuance of the practice of selling inferior Kiver Plate mutton as New Zealand. Some unscrupulous persons endeavour to counterbalance this by selling the best New Zealand mutton as English, The proceeding is, no doubt, complimentary to New Zealand mutton from either point of view, but nevertheless it cannot be too strongly deprecated.

Australian competition is becoming a thing to be seriously fact*!, as New Zealand mutton is no longer so very much superior to anything else. The Australians are wise in their genera- i tion, for they have not been blow to I conform to the New Zealand model, and unless producers on this side .of the j TTasman Sea keep themselves on the ! alert the pupils will surpass their ' teachers. What Mr Jameson has to say about the handling of the meat on its arrival is unfortunately not new, but we thought that previous remonstrances would have put a. stop to practices so injurious as leaving frozen meat exposed to the, hot sun in barges or carts. It is difficult to conceive how such folly can be permitted for a moment. From its very inception the frozen meat trade has suffered frotn difficulties at the other end. The number and complexity of the charges against early conI signments may still be remembered, I and they have not yet been reduced to I simplicity. We are strongly inclined to fear that they never will be so until the , producers control the whole business for themselves and sell direct to the ! consumer, or if not to the consumer, I then to someone who will distribute the j produce direct. Mr Jameson looks i with approval on Mr Cameeox's sug- | gestion to establish model shops for I Nev>- Zealand produce. Insufficient ad- ! vertising hinders the trade, but Mr TiEEVES, the is doing ' good work in remed} r ing this. Inspecting ; products other than frozen meat, Mr ; Jameson has also something to say. j New Zealand butter is rapidly gaining j ground, and now commands prices ; within a shilling or two of the ! best Danish. This trade is beginning to expei'ience the advantages of uniformity. Let the quality be j what it will, it must be uniform or I buyers will 'not look at it. It lias to : be remembered that buyers do not go round with a tryer sampling each lot. They want a certain thing, and unless they can depend upon getting it they , simply leave it alone or consent to j accept it as a special transaction, but jat a lower price. Though the demands ■ of the London market are thoroughly known, we regret to obsers^e from a northern exchange that some butter was recently shipped for England which was only fit for cart grease. It is sincerely to be hoped that the shipper will lose so much by the transaction that he i will never repeat it. The cheese '_ market Mr Jameson thinks likelj' to I improve. The association represented 1 by him must do an extensive business, I as it seems that during the IS months before he left Home he sold over 9000 j bales of wool. The association deale [ exclusively in all kinds of New Zealand 1 produce. Mr Jameson looks upon the ! wheat market as practically dead, but j he sold beans, peas, cocksfoot, and oats lat prices satisfactory to shippers, Bacon, however, is supplied at prices as I low as in New Zealand.