THE MEAT TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 10

THE MEAT TRADE.

! THE ARGENTINE COMPETITION. Mr Robert Johnston, a young New Zcalander who has been on a 10-months' trip to Scotland, was interviewed by a representative of the Christchurch Press. This colony, Mr Jchnston said, is a long way ahead of Scotland in its farm methods and implements of husbandry. At the Edinburgh winter show he was greatly disappointed with the exhibits, apart from the fat cattle, the display of machines and implements being quite common-place. The frozen meat producers of New Zealand are being badly cheated, he considered. In Edinburgh he was shown through three or four very large wholesale meat warehouses, the owners representing Australia, New Zealand, and the Argentine. In these he believed he saw no New Zealand .meat, and was more than once told that it was • not procurable, but that the Argentine mutton served as well. Staying for some months with a butcher and making inquiries also at the retail shops, he ascertained quite conclusively that, although they had mutton ticketed " New Zealand " and lamb ticketed " Canterbury," nearly all that was 6old was from the Argentine. His friend in the trade more than once said he wished he could obtain real New Zealand mutton and lamb. When -they got it, as they did sometimes to the extent of a few carcases, it was cold as "home fed." The New Zealand mutton in England, he found, reached there in good order, while the Australian was generally badly handled. Wherever he found New Zealand meat in England it was in general request, but in Glasgow and Edinburgh it seemed impossible to get it, as probably it was all sold 'before it could reach Scotland. Mr Johnston's impression is that tho proposition of the late Mr Seddon to start retail shops was sound in every way in the interest of New Zealand meat producers. It was surprising how well the Argentine mutton showed in comparison with ours, and it was improving also. Then a good deal of the meat was brought in under the chilling process, and this was somewhat in its favour. Tho prices paid for lamb from tho wholesale places was 5£ per Ib, and it was retailed at 7£d for fore and B^d for hindquarters. There was little difference between prices of lamb and mutton, but a tremendous quantity of the imported frozen meat was sold to the consumers as Home fed. In addition to the usual tag, he thinks all New Zealand meat should carry a non-destructive brand, which should be- well advertised so that purchasers might identify it. During the time ho was in Scotland, he never saw any New Zealand beef, though splendid beef carcases were to be seen brought from the Argentine. As to canned meats, the bensation caused by Chicago revelations had not been published when Mr Johnston left London by the Athenic. He thought, however, that it was imperative that the Government should deal with the larger question of putting the frozen meat on the market, so that people could obtain the real j article, and so that the colonial producer j (should get the fair value of the same. If j the meat trade was properly dealt with there was no doubt that it should add to the revenue of the colony by many thousands of pounds annually. He could not say how far the High Commissioner could act, but the colony was at present allowing things to drift in regard to the mutton and lamb business.