THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 6

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

The present position of our frozen meat industry and the question of t-h-e regulation of the export wade upon the London market will probably be fully discussed by the conference which meets in Christchurch on the 27th and 28th of this month. We understand, however, that, unfortunately, the corporation® most closely associated with the trade, and which could give direct information in connection with the industry—namely, the frozen meat j companies., —do not intend to bo represented in the discussions of the conference. This is much to be regretted, and will have the effect of lessening to a great extent the good results which might have been expected from discussions on a subject of so much importance to this Dominion. No doubt many proposals will be put forward with a view to steadying our English markets, and also towards dealing with the better regulation of the control and sale of meat on the London market, which for a considerable time has been anything but satisfactory. In connection with the present unsatisfactory J position of the trade conditions, steps have already been taken in the North Island to consider what is best to be done in the matter, and a largely-attended i meeting of pastor&Msts and those closely identified with th» industry has recently gone fully into the whole matter. The j Chairman stated at the meeting in question that, according to a well-known paper (the Scotsman), the ruling value of mutton was 2,050.000 less than in the previous year, a fact which afforded food for j reflection. By taking a proper stand he ' thought it would be possible to break \ down the barrier and obtain an improved basis, although he knew that there was a feeling locally that this would be impossible, and pointed to the result of the strong front taken by the Gisborne Sheep- | farmers' Company "in declining to sell ! on the c.i.f. * basis . without any j right of aviT&tvation at Home. It was, ' he said. that the Home buyers held off for j a short time, but to-day they were buy- j ing under the company's conditions, and there was never a question, and so far as he knew they were the only company sellins on this haras. If they could success- : fully take such a stand with a small com- ; panv thev would be equally successful with the larger movement. * Through the laxity of control in London, and the fact that damage was being allowed on meat when there- was no damage, the insurance vatee, ho went on to point out. had been steadily increased, snd the policy had been so framed now that it was of little value to them. In fact, it might even have the I effect of causing people who were not in a sfcroßß finand&l position to have to at practically any offer. The chairman of of the same meeting further pointed out j that an 1906 the general cover from the works to London, which included bone | tain*, etc., was £2 per £-100. In 1908 it ] was increased to 52 ss. and the new policv coming into force at the besjinmin-sr of 291 Q : was £2 7s 6d: but it excluded bone taint, j improper dressing, cooling, and freezing. ■ It would be seen from this that while there waa a steady increase in the insur- j anoe premiums! the scope of the insurance had been largely curtailed, and this had j . all been done without any protest what- | ever from the rvrodueera in the Dominion, ! the present no'icy being little better than j j a total lo«* policy which /•ould be obtained j ; for 7s 3d per- £ I OO. T n detailing the I methods of disposing of the moat on the i London market the same 'speaker ex['..plained that buye» after purchasing at, , if,say, rulinsr prices, w»re in pome cases \ allowed deductions for general damage for f of*-colour, broken shanks, etc. Then. I after that had been allowed for, the buver 5 would make a second claim for the same ' parcel O'f meat for not h«*ins» up to issrade standard and quality. These claims had apparently become a fixed custom in London, for in everv shinment made there were claims for damage of between 10 and IS per cent, on each consignment; and. so far as his experience went, except where meat was '"'holly condemned, his representatives had neve!' been aide to + 11 him why any damage was allowed or claimed, which, to his mind, showed that something was wrong. No complaint could be made against an allowance for bona fide damage, but it appeared that claims for damage were allowed where no damage existed : but in any case, said the sneaker, surely the exporter should be told the reason damage was allowed and deducted. This information certainly points to grave defects in the arrangements of the handling of meat in London. Another speaker at the G*sborne meeting, who had recently been in London, and has made many innniries into ihc matter, stated that while there a London butcher had strongly imI preyed noon him the necessity for for-v.-ardino- mutton regularly every month, i ] IPr . M , S o there were times when New Zealand mutton and lamb were unobtainable, ,<v ,i ,\-.e< i-jKqr] meat war -Hen sold under the "N ■■■ Z°aland name. What was needed v ., i: . fi lio rP2 r.>l-i.+i„n of the sunrdy. ! he dema"d '-"-''Hi' always there. The following res. 1 '-'.i.n was carried unanimously rt : flip ypr>< '-<■ leco'-Mv held Gisborne:— ' " That ' the i" ''ion of this meeting the time v "~--" rvrrivr • for the farmers throughout the vhole 3 ; bo make a united move + o secure better regulation and con-t-ol r.f J ' ,r - froren meat trade, and with : that '-' '■■': s>"*wnves of the following Bugges'vijns ; (a) That steps should be taken

to concentrate our exports of meat to a ' depot in London, so far as possible, (b) Regulate shipments as far as possible from New Zealand to suit requirements and stocks held in London and afloat, (c) To obtain legislation compelling all freezing works to grade up to a uniform Govern- j merit standard, and to have the meat valued at Rome by the High Commissioner's staff in the same manner that I butter and cheese are now graded and valued, (d) That it be a request from this meeting to the president of the Farmers' Union of the Dominion, asking him to have this resolution brought before all the branches of Farmers' Unions throughout the Dominion, and asking them to support the same. Further, that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to _ all freezing companies carrying on business _in the Dominion, asking their co-operation and support in the matter." A possible improvement of the position might be found by the Government taking over the grading of all the frozen meat exported, and for the High Commissioner and staff to value the meat on the London market according to grade, as is done with butter and cheese. The whole question, however, is cevtainly a very complex one, and the fullest discussion of the subject of the disposal of our frozen mutton on the London market, by the conference, may help towards finding a solution of the present difficulty.