THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY. A PAPER BY MR GILBERT ANDERSON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 23

THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY. A PAPER BY MR GILBERT ANDERSON.

' Mr Gilbert Anderson, managing director of' the Christchurch Meat Company (Limited), read a paper on "The Frozen Meat Industry" at the Board Room, Agri.cultural Hall Buildings, Thursday, June "IS, under the auspices of the Otago A. and P. Society. Mr D. Andrew presided, and there were about 45 gentlemen interested present, of whom rather- more than a third were from Canterbury. Mr Anderson's paper was as follows : — Inoeption of the Trade. In the town of Apalachiccla, Florida, TJ.S.A., there has been erected a monument to the memory of Dr Gome, who invented the first cold-air machine of which there is any lecord. I would suggest that it would be a fitting thing if a monument were erected in this city to the father of the Now Zealand meat trade, the late Mr Thomas Brydone. If we compare the advantages which New Zealand has derived from this industry with those of the United States, we can only wonder why we are so slow to recognise the wisdom of paying due honour to the one man above all others •who took the first steps to establish this business. I remember well — for I was a resident of punedin at .the time- -when the first meeting was held to bring this matter before the public, the difficulties which had to be overcome, the scepticism and the doubts which were thrown in the way — the doubt as to the possibility of carrying the meat, the uncertainty of realising a payable price, and, abave all, the confident opinion which was expressed, even if the meat could be carried in a sound condition and a market found for it. of the utter impossibility of our being able to keep up our flocks. It was stated and reiterated that at the outside we would only be able to send away a possible 200.000 carcases in any one year. Quite recently I came across an addross which was given to this association by Mr {Brydone in the ve.ir 1881, and I was surprised in re-reading it at the araount of foresight and grasp of the future possibilities of the trade which that gentleman had, and how well and truly he foresaw what was required, and how the trade "would grow. I make no apology for bringing the late Mr Brydone's name forward and it at the beginning 1 of this address. I think we only do what is right to brin? to mind the names of fhose we should honour, especially when those names are associated wiiih undertakings which are of , national - importance. You will no doubt remember that it was owing to Mr Brydone's action that the first shin was ohartered and fitted up with a Bell-Colemari refrigerating engine, and the 6-bip Dunedin was loaded; the difficulty there was in getting the cargo of meat through the tropics — how the main air trunk got snowed up. and how Captain "Whitson himself crawled down to clear it out. and how he got so benumbed that he kad to be hauied out by the heels by a rope; how this oiew and strange craft caused no end of surprise in the Channel, &nd numerous effers were made to tow her, she being taken for some strange brokenflown steamer. Growth, of the Industry. The initial difficulties being overcome, the Sxizen meat industry may be considered as having: been launched when the New Zealand Refrigerating Company was started in 1881-2. Other companies quickly followed., until at the present" time there are 15 companies and 22 freezing works in operation j "» New; Zealand. j

The growth of this business has been very remarkable. For the year ending March 31, 1882, there were exported from New Zealand 8839 carcases of mutton. In 1903 the numbers reached 4,636,537. For the year ending March 31, 1905, the figures are 3,777,633 mutton and lamb. The total quantity of mutton and lamb exported from the inception of t-he trad© in 1881 to March 31, 1905, reaches the large number of £7,875,510 carcases* of mutton and lamb. During the same period there have been frozen and exported something like 320,000 head of eattlo. The frozen meat industry, therefore, represents something like £32,500,000 sterling to the producer *or the period. To the colony as a whole the industry has resulted in still further benefit. We should have had to wait for a long time before wa would have had direct steam, communication with the Old Country. The frozen meat industry at once created the demand for steamships, and to this industry, and to it alone, do we owe the magnificent lines of steamers that are now trading between New Zealand and Great Britain, and bufc for this industry it is doubtful if one-fourth of these could continue to trade. Not only have we some 53 steamships, of an aggregate tonnage of 376,936 tons, at the disposal of the meat trade, but the fact of these steamers being here has reduced the freight on all other produce, as well as imports, besides facilitating the despatch of goods and giving the benefits of a quick return and ready market. This industry has also been the means of producing employment to something like 3000 hands in oar freezing works. It has also made the employment of farm labourers constant and profitable. It provides a revenue of something like £85,947 to our railways, paid by freezing companies annually. It has altered our style of eheepfarming. ' As William Jenner wrote in 1881, "We must go in for sheep-farming, not sheep-running." We obtain another view of the importance of this trade when we examine the value of the exports from the. colony. As you are aware the value of our exports has been steadily increasing.. For the year ending March 31 1905, the total value of our 'exports was £15,381,3-30. Of this large amoimt frozen meat alone contributed £2,750,622, being second only to wool but it to this amount we add the other products of the freezing works, we obtain the following figures: —

as the value of our exports from thefreezing industry. It must be apparent that the prosperity of the colony is largely due to the establishment of freezing works. I would remind you that the last year was not on© of the best; the season was late and there were other causes to which I will refer later. I have not been able to get in time for this address the increase in the value of land or tin large increase in the number of holdings, noi yeb the better distribution of our flocks, but these are facts well known to you, and require only to be mentioned. The Colony's Sheep. It is interesting to compare the effects of this industry on the number cf sheep in the colony. In 1881, when we commenced to kill sheep for freezing, there were 12,190,215 sheep in the colony; the last return, April, 1904, there were 18,280,806. You will therefore see that we have in the meantime increased our flocks by over 50 per cent., while during the period we have exported 47,875,510 carcases of mutton and lamb. It is true that the numbers of our sheep are not so large as they were three and four years ago. This, however, is accounted for, first, by a succession of unusually severe winters and bad springs; second, by the high prices offered for second quality and ewe mutton by the extraordinary demand from South Africa; and, third, from the fact that sheep breeders had not awakened to the fact that there was a large demand for breeding ewes. It was only when this demand was intensified that breeders have realised this. It will be as well if I deal here' with the problem of the numbers of our flocks, and whether we can. reasonably expect to keep them up and increase these quantities. I may at once say that I have no fears whatever on this question. Ido not for one moment think that we are exporting more than we are warranted in doing. I believe that we have only commenced this freezing industry, and that we shall see in the near future much larger exports and, at the same time, considerable increase iv the number of sheep held in the country. To start with the vexed question of the ewe lamb: I consider that it is neither wise nor profitable for the small farmer to keep back his ewe lambs or any lambs. By the small farmer I mean the man whose land is worth over £8 to £10 per acre. The business of that man is to cultivate his land to the greatest intensity, and to turn off as much fat stock as he can. He | should buy ewes which will give him a ] good percentage of lamb 9; the breed docs j not matter so much provided he uses a ; suitable purebred ram. For merino^ half, '

and three-quarter bied evrcs, preferably u«e an English or Border Leicester; for coar=e wool ewes. Leicester and Romney, use a Down ram. Tho aim of a small farmer should be to obtain lambs of early maturity, and fatten them off and sell them every year to the freezing buyer. If his ewe is old, fatten her also, and send her to the market. Ho cannot afford to keep back ewo lambs and hold them for breeding : hid land is too valuable for that, and the time lost is too great. His land can be used more profitably for fattening, and by having a variety of fattening feed coming on of different sorts, according to the season, he can turn off all his slock fat, if not as lambs, then as hoggets. Having done this, he goes to the market again to replenish his ewes. The lamb which the small farmer grows is the lamb to sell. We want something of not such a mixed breed if we arc to keep up the standard of our flocks. Having- dealt with the faltcnor and breeder of freezing lambs, we are naturally confronted with the problem, wheio is he to get his ewes and store sheep from? I have already stated that land over the value of £8 to £10 is belter used for fattening. We therefore must look to the cheaper land and the back country land for supplying these. And here I think it necessary to repeat the pretest against the manner in which the back country is dealt with. And for fear I may be misunderstood it will also be necessary for me to repeat that the very highest praise is due to the -late Sir John M'Kenzie fforr r his administration of our land laws, and for the policy which he carried out of acquiring for closer settlement blocks of good land near railway communication. These settlements havo placed a large number of people on suitable land where their labour can be utilised, and have provided large quantities of stock for the freezing works. But where poor land remote from settlement has been cut up the results have not beeoi good, either to the holder or to the country as a whole. This has invariably been by taking the best — probably the winter country — of a large block, leaving the rest as a run which no one will have anything to do with ; hence the large number of unoccupied runs. We require breeding stations in fair-sized blocks, with a failproportion- of both summer and winter country. On these blocks or runs tho owner will maintain a standard flock, and as he will use it for breeding and growing wool, he is not likely io be tempted by tho rise and fall of the market to reduce his numbers. The runholder, realising that he has a regular customer for his ewes, will gradually work his flock into a ewe flock. If his country is suitable he will find that ifc will pay him much better to grow his wool on wet sheep rather than dry sheep. He may not be able to carry quite so many sheep, and the weight of his clip may not bo so heavy, but he will have a large draft of wether lambs to sell to the farmer and fattener every year, as also a big surplus of ewes. He will keep for himself sufficient young ewes and ewe lambs to maintain his flock. This process has already set in. By the sheep returns of 1904- there were 12,727,170 ewes out of a total of 18,280,806 sheep. I will not be surprised if the cheep returns which are now being compiled show that the number of sheep in the country in 1905 has considerably mii creased, and that we have pulled up a ! great deal of our shortage. '• The Sheep Returns.May I be allowed here to ask the members of this association to urge upon the Government the desirability of altering the date^for taking the sheep returns. They ' are not available for this important gathering, and will probably not be available until ! after Parliament rises. To my mind the proper time to take the sheep returns is as soon as shearing is over, say the end of January, or else the end of February. The figures could be compiled and printed before the rush of Parliamentary work, and they would be available for the farmer before he has to make his purchases of ewes and stores for the season. However, we have got away from the freezing industry, , and it is necessary to get back to the farmer with his lambs. j How to Grow Fat Lam.be. 1 The profitable part of the. freezing industry is undotibtedly the growing of fat lambe. It offers the farmer a quick return and gives him the best use of his land. The late Mr Thomas- Brydone frequently expressed himself to me that, given ewes at a reasonable price, everything over 7s 6d for a lamb was profit to the farmer. How very much more than that is paid, and ! will probably continue to be paid, you I know well. I To grow fat lambs for freezing it is necessary to start with a ewe with a good constitution. Ifc is not necessary tbat the ewe should be young — the most profitable ewe to a small farmer is a station ewe ' which has bred already one or two lambs. ! He Tceuhts a ewe which will give him a good "percentage — not less tha.n 100 per cent. ; if up to 120 per cent., so much the better. But to get good lambs ifc is necessary above all to use good rams. The next consideration is to ccc that the ewe is not starved during tbe winter months. Then, when the lambs are dropped, there should be an abundance of feed ready for the ewe. If the ewe does not get a good start, so as to give an abundance of milk right off to the lamb, there would not be a large percentage to go to the freezing works off their mothers, and tho more fattening will be required afterwards. When I remind you that it is the early lamb which pays and makes room for stores, you will see the force of my remarks. In tho north the feed that is waiting for the ewes is frequently barley — Cape barley or Sea of Azov ; others put them on oats, and some leave a portion of the previous year's rape which comes away in time. For fattening lambs it is no use trusting to erase uniless the grass Is new pasture. Rape must be grown; but with rape it is necessary to have a change — either Italian rye, or a run o<uft on grass. Thousand-headed kale is giving excellent results, and does not have the disadvantages ai rape. Turnips must b© grown, not only to finish off the- last of the lambs, but also for the stores "which sihould be bought. I am not •here to give a lecture on 'farming, but only to ipoint Out that if a farmer wants to make monsv out of crowing fat lambs and sheep, it can only be done by keeping the plough and the drill constantly going, and having a succession of fattening feed from the- time the lamb i<? dropped until the lambs come again. The freezing industry has been a gieafc success in many parts of New Zealand — some more than others — but it is only where farmers have

laid thom°elve<3 out for growing feed that the full advantages have been derived. Freezing and Freight Charges. For a long time the charges were high, but they have been gradually reduced. The freight alone at the inception of the trade v;as 2gd per lb. II has been the fashio.i Io abuse the shipping companies, but when we remember how they have produced such magnificent and suitable steamers, and met the freezing companies by a regular reduction of freight, and often before their existing contracts had expired, in common justice one must, give them credit. We must remember that we have practically a weekly service to the Home Country. The freight on mutton in 1882-3 was 2£d per lb; in 18834. 2d per lb; in 1855-6. l|d per lb; and 1887-8, V s d per lb. In 1889 the different summer and winter freights were introduced, with tho object of getting the farmers to grow feed and make it an all-the-year-round trade, the freights being lid and l^cl respectively. In 1891 the summer freight was reduced to l^d, 1893-6 to Id, 3897-1904 |d, and 1905 11-16 d. The freezing and other charges have correspondingly been reduced, so that ab tho present iinie a farmer who wishes to consign his stock can do so at the low rate of 1.45 d for mutton in the summer and 1.2 din the winter. This charge includes everything, from the time he delivers his stock at the freezing works until he receives the proceeds — that is to say, freezing, freight, bags, insurance, interest on advance, London landing, storage for a month, and selling charges. The freezing and freight charges are' 1 l-10d less 5 per cent in summer, and |d less 5 per cent, in winter. -Strange to say, the only rate that has not been reduced in all these years is the railage. A Provincial Comparison. The proportion of stock shipped last year compared with the bheep returns was as follows : — From the ColonyTotal stock. Shipped. 18,:80,8ll6 3,984,059, or 2179 per cent. From Canterbury— 4,778,612 1,659,854, or 35 „ Fiom Otago — 2,257,940 196,592, or 87 It would almost see-m from these figures that Otago was willing to allow all the advantages of this trade to be reaped by her neighbours. As far as I know there are as good sheen in Otago as m Canterbury. I do not think that breed matters so much", provided they are not Lincolns or Romne-ys, but even these are suitable for crossing. There cannot be so much difference in climate. I can only come to the conclusion that you are satisfied with the nimble ninepence and forget the halfcrowns. You evidently forget that it is the feed which the Canterbury farmer puts into his stock which maices the quality. He certainly, in choosing his ewes and rams, takes those with as little daylight under them as possible — short in tho legs. He remembers that the best part of a sheep is its hindquarter, and he tries to get a good ham. There is no reason why the industry, which was started here, should not assume large proportions. True, a large portion is given over to rabbits, but if you consider that, in the opinion of those qualified to judge, six rabbits eat the feed of , one sheep, you will realise what the harj bouring of rabbits means. You have now in your midst a freezing company prepared to give you, "the same rates as Canterbury, the same prices for , equal quality. The Otago farmer must have changed very much from what I knew him to be, when he knows that in allowing his stock to go away as stores he is losing the large future profits. Otago has advantages which Canterbury does not possess. You can grow much better turnips, and you can grow swedes which North Canterbury cannot — the best of winter feed. Then you can grow much heavier crops of oats. No doubt you know that *in Canterbury they hold the opinion that the best way to sell their oats" is to feed them as chaff to the sheep on turnips. Not only in lambs, but in fat sheep during the winter months, when they command a good price, Otago should be second to none. The Question of Marketing. ' I I have already detained you for a considerable time, but it will be necessary for me to say a few words about the business at the other end. You know the old adage, that if you want a thing well done you must do it yourself. The companies for a long time, and some of them up to tho present, were satisfied when they "nut the carcases on board steamer. But" if the landing of the meat and the storage were to be put right, the proper way to do it was to send some one and have it done. There was also the question of grading. This was put right by sending someone to get into touch with the requirements of the trade. We therefore opened cur London office, and sent colonials Home with a knowledge of the business at this end. and with our interest at heart. It was soon learned that there were other things to look after. The spasmodic consignments by individual growers, sent a.t odd limes, and frequently to different agents, or no agents at all, were dumped or the market As it was no one's interest to protect these, they came in I very handy to the buyer who was on the ' lookout for a cheap line and having bought these he used them as a means to break down the market. There is no doubt but that the farmer has often unwittingly been th* greatest enemy of the freezing industry. Frozen meat is different to the other commodities which a farmer or sheep grower produces. There is only one crop of oats or wheat and one clip of wool, and the farmer rightly uses his discretion when and how he will sell. It was thought that frozen sheep could be dealt with in the same way. This was all -very well when we were satisfied simply to send off our surplus, but now that the trade has grown to dimensions which only few anticipated, and when there are the possibilities of a constant trade, it is worthy of the best organisation that is possible. We have now many million carcases to send away every year. We have created a demand for ; our meat, especially for lamb. This article j is no longer one which appeared in the _ butcher shops for a few months and no more We have made an all-the-ypar-ronnrl trade for it. But a business which has been made can only be maintained by regular ami constant supplies. A sliookeeper who opens a trade in a certain line, and get customers for that line, finds : ifc much easier to do a trade, and is prepared to pay higher prices if b& can be sure of supplies than if he has to look round for a n^w article and different brand. J It is, therefore, highly necessary that I

supplies and .shipments should be as regulai as tho trade demands, and if the maikefc i-j io be aa\od from the sudden drops and uncertainty, there must bo removed irom it the> chances of creating a slump It has, therefore, been found necessary to oppn oil'- oi\n offices wherever the mail»i foi" meat is in the Old Country, to obtain the best advice from both ends so as to regulate prices and feed the market. Since this has been done, you have not had the sudden diops in the market and the sudden rises after the meat was m the hands of the Smilhfield buyer, and out of the bands of tho farmers' agent. We have not arrived at an absolute stale of perfection. Some of the- smaller companies could not afford io open their own London office, and frequently their output was \ised to bring down prices. This brings me to a somewhat delicate position, hut I am sure that it is of such vital importance to the farmers of Ota™o thai T W! ]l not be blamed for referring to v "' -» mutton and lamb frcm the Otago .oi'i . owing to the energy and determination of your capable secretary, came close up to Canterbury brands, and was sold in competition with them. The effect' was that they were used by the London salesmen to pull down our prices — ours came dowr, yours went lower. Than theie was t^e expense of railing: meat to Canterbury and the expense of duplicating buyers. All these worked out to the disadvantage of the grower, because the farmer has to pay for all expenses in the long run. It was therefore, thought wise to amalgamate your interest with the largest Canterbury interest, and instead of your meat being sold in opposition, it will be sold along with, and zs part of. the largest output from not only Canterbury, but New Zealand. I may be allowed to mention that the output of the Christchurch Meat Company for the last year .was 1,074,336 head of stock ; for the previous year 1,330,016. If you had not had the amalgamation with the Ohrtetchurch Meat Company you wonl'T prob-ibly have had London control. \v% know well that the Smithfield salesmen not like the freezing companies watch j things at the other end. Further, gentlemen, I have said before, t-hat if we waut a_fching well done we must do it our«elvei=. "ion can be assured that the Smithfield salesman does not come out to the colony from "motives of cha.rity to #ie New Zealand farmer. If we could get them all to come, we might be saved a lot of work and worry. Bufc while the market remains at the other side, and there are innumerable buyers, we must, if we want the best market, take the trouble to go ourselves to the market. What I mean by "we" is that the freezing companies mostly consist of fanners, and I am glad to tell you thai; over 80 per cent of the shaicholders of the> company with which you have amalgamated consists of farmers. The company must be worked from a colonial point of view. The more the business is concentrated, the better it will be regulated, tho more assured^ the prices, and the more certain of permanent and profitable results to the farmers. One can only hope that in. this province, to which belongs t-he honour of starting this important industry, tho farmers will avail themselves elf the opportunity and will increase their interest ins the trade. You may not be able to turn out as large a percentage of stook in proportion to your flocks as Canterbury does, but you can surely produce as much- as the average of New Zealand. This would mean v that instead of shipping the comparatively small quantity which has been shipped in the past, you would send away 21 per cent., which wouM amount to nearly 500,000 carcases per annum. It would further mean not only increased productiveness of land and larger profits to the farmer, but it would also result in increased employment of labour, not only on the farm, but also at the freezing works and elsewhere. It would mean greater facilities for shipping your other produce, such a; butter, etc. Amalgamations and Progress. It may interest you to know that this is the third time that the. Christchurch Meac Company has been asked to amalgamate with local companies, and unite to extend the trade. In 1893 we were> asked io amalgamate with the South Canterbury Freezing Company. The output at Timaru was 75,000 carcases per annum. The farmers, taking up the business with heart, increased the output to 582,432. In 1899 we were asked to amalgamate with the Wairau Freezing Company, in Marlborough. The output was 25,000 carcases per annum. Itrose to 102,64-6, and there they are fully alive to the profits in growing and fattening lambs and sheep. The Beef Trade. I have in the main only dealt with sheep and lambs, but my remarks would apply with probably moie force to cattle. It i 3

well known that you had a name for frozen beef higher than any other freezing works or district, but I understand that this trade has been allowed to drop. I can but zepeat thai if a farmer wishes io obtain the best result from his land ho can only do so by preparing for the future returns by producing the necessary feed. This can best be done by taking the returns over a series of years, and by laying himself out to supply the best article in regular quantities and times. New Zealand has got the lamb trade, and has a good market for mutton, and it can get a good market for its beef. The Argentine does not look oil us as rivals, and does not come into competition with our class of meat. Argentine looks oil Australia as her competitor. Any fights in the trade will be between these two countries. Tho Best Lambs and Sheep for Export^ What is required for the trade is prime, well-grown lambs under 421b in weight. They must be prime — that i% well finished. Many farmers keep their lambs until the last of the feed is gone, with the result that the stocks when killed show signs of having gone back. These are the "rimy backs" that you hear of from Smithfield market. Some* make the mistake of keeping their la*ibs until they are too heavy. They might have turned off two medium-weight lambs which would have paid them better than one heavy lamb. The Home trade wants lambs under 421b, and the demand for these exceeds the quantity produced. There is only a limited trade for tegs — that is, lambs over 421b. At one time farmers made the mistake of breeding too early, with the result that the losses in lambine were very great. Now the trade has developed and is on steady lines. Farmers can choose their own time for lambing, according to the season in their particular district. As far as the freezing is concerned, farmers can arrange so that their lambs can start to come to the works at the beginning of the year, and they can continue sending lambs as late as August and September. With such a wide range everything is now possib.e to the farmer , "For sheep the demand is for well-brecl prime crossbreds of light weight-under 641b The season for these is from February to October. There is not now the demand for heavy-weights which existed at the beginning' of the trade. The consumer of om frozen meat at Home is the large middle class They have found by experience that ours is the best meat they can ge fc, and they have created the demand. But what they ask for is the small useful joint, which means little waste. They do not want fat wasteful meat. You must 1 ear m mind that their meat costs them much more than om- family supplies ; and as they have not so much money to spend, they want to sp«nd it to the very best advantage, lne S of all modern success in business is to find but the market and what your «.- ! what we- want and the British merchant ! what he has. I fear that we here in New better and more profitable to ourselves if we alter our way to his and give the buyer what he wants, so long as he win pay for it. Organised Methods. I have not referred to the many bogies of the meat 'trade, nor do I think it even necessary to do so. If the freezing industry had not been well managed it would neve/ have assumed the great proportions which it has in such a short time. lne business had to be learned and experience had to be gained. I trust that I have shown that we have profited by the lessons, and have succeeded in getting the business on right lines. Our freezing works in their construction, machinery, and methods are equal to anything of a like nature. We find, even in going to the United States, that we have little to learn from them in this direction. The one thing lacking in New Zealand which exists in America is that spirit of loyal supnort and association in workins- together to exploit new markets, and a belief that we should support our own institutions and our own men. Not until we get the various freezing companies working on a. common understanding as to regulation of shipments and methods of marketing our products will we get the best possible results for the growers of fat stock.. .Steps in this direction have already been taken, and great as have been the benefits of the freezing industry, I believe that we shall se© a still further expansion in the trade at no great distanj> date.— (Applause.) Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., moved that a very hearty vote of thanks be accorded Mr Anderson for* his interesting address, and expressed regret that greater publicity had not been given the lecture. He had listened with the greatest pleasure to MiAnderson's paper, and, ti» far as he could see, the conclusions arrive^ at by him were very sound. It, was five years since he (MiMackenzie) was in the Old Country, but Mr Anderson had dealt exactly with the conditions that had to be observed at that end. He agreed with the lecturer that one of tho weaknesses of the trade was the consigning of meat to agents whose interest might rest in their being really buyers and sellers. What Mr Anderson had said about Otago would, he felt sure, be studied carefully by the farmers of Otago, and he sinocrely hoped that Otago farmers would take a deep interest in supporting the local factory, for it was absurd to suppose it could be to their interests that the Canterbury people should come all this distance, buy their sheep, and take them up to be shipped at Lyttelton. He would like to point out {hat the welfare of Dunedin and Otago, from a shipping point of view, depended on how the farmers of Otago supported the frozen meat industry here. Trade had been diverted from Dunedin, and it did not pay the shipping people to send here, because there was nothing to be sent away, fc the frozen meat of the province was goint? to Canterbury and the butter to J Wellington, while for years past the Bluff had been sending away far more frozen meat than this port had. Mr Anderson had shown what grading had done for Canterbury, and for Otago it was purely a question of grading in this particular trade. As to the Premier's proposals regarding the opening of butchers' shops in the Old Country, he thought Mr Anderson was hardly likeli *o agree with gujjjji iwivise

proposals. He was sure they had a gcod market at the other end if they made the most of it, and they would do well to get men like Mr Anderson to tell farmers as to tho best policy to adopt in dealing with their meat in the Old Country. Mr J. A. Scott seconded the motion, stating that he had listened with great pleasure to Mr Anderson's remarks, especially as cerned the Otago farmers, and this applied to the Southland farmers too, for a great portion of Southland meat went to Canterbury also. It was a sort of disgrace that in the province where it was initiated more was not being done with the frozen meat trade. They could oertainly do much better than they had been doing. Tho vote was carried by acclamation. Mr Anderson, in thanking those present, said, in reference to the butchei*-shop quest'on raised by Mr Mackenzie, that the company's shops in -Christchurch were for sale, and had been a failure, for a company could not run butchers' shops. The retailing of meat was an intricate business depending largely on tho personal knowledge and influence of the person running a shop. There were any quantity of first-class butchers' shops at Home which only wanted to bo wa'ted on and shown what New Zealand mutton was. It would be simply eras* folly for the New Zealand Government, or any other Government, to start its own butchers' shops, and opposition with the very large organisations at Home for retailing meat would be inevitably a result. As to the sale of New Zealand meat, it was sold now by all the best butchers at Home, and he did'iiot think there was much actual misrepresentation. A good deal of meat was sold no doubt without any questions being- "raised, but if that resulted in tho very satisfactory price obtained, the more their m3at was distributed the better. As to the fattening of stock, with his knowledge of Otago and Southland he did not see why a large proportion cf the stock in these provinces should not be fattened and sent on. It was all very well for Otago people to trust to Canterbury taking their stare sheep and lambs, but sometimes Canterbury had a dry season and did not want them, in which case Otago farmers plight find themselves one day caught napping.

Frozen meat .. .., .. *2.750,b22 Preserved meat 63,410 Tallow from above .. .. 114.154 Sausage skins . . . . • • 58,313 Pelts from frozen sheep and lambs 377,763 Wool from frozen sheep and lambs 538,019 £3,907,281