Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE. TUESDAY, SEPT. 30, 1902. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9547, 30 September 1902, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE. TUESDAY, SEPT. 30, 1902. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

The report of the Committee of the House of Representatives set up to consider the disposal of the frozen meat of the colony in Great Britain and elsewhere, was laid before Parliament to-day. The report is (our Parliamentary reporter informs us by telegraph) a voluminous document. Owing to the limited time at their disposal, the Committee explain that their report must be considered In tliu light of an interim one. Inquiry was made into the complaints that have been made, especially in the Wellington and Hawke's Bay districts, us to the smaller prices that are- obtained by breeders of sheep in these districts than are obtainable in the South Island. That these coniplaintK were justified by the evidence submitted, is regarded as fully proved. The bulk of sheep provided in many districts of the North Island are nut of equal value with those produced in the South Island. After making an allowance, therefore, the Committee, are of opinion that the prices paid in Wellington and Hawke's Bay are not of equal value to the producer to those obtainable by sellers in the South Island, a result due to the. fact that competition for fat sheep is much keener in the South Island, where sales iv the open market result in -in average standard of prices, nor do the methods which are employed in the South Island of providing artificial feed in winter for sheep obtain generally in the North Island. In Wellingtoai district tho principal buyers of .sheep for export to the Home market are the Wellington Meat Export Company and the. Gear Company, and in Hawke's Bay Nelson Bros and the North British and Hawke's Ray Freezing Company. These, it is stated, invariably work on the same basis and offer the same prices, with the result that the farmer is either compelled to sell them at the price offered or make some other arrangements. Apparently the method of the buyers of the companies is usually to purchase first tho heaviest sheep offering, leaving smaller weights for subsequent dealings. Tho small wheepfarmer whose operations are not on a sufficiently large scale to freeze cm his own account, or whose financial position will not justify him in doing so, is consequently compelled to sell to the companies at tin* prices they offer, or to hold his stock at a loss after it is ready for market, or to sell it locally or take the chance of forwarding to some distant market, where, if there should not be outside buyers present, he may again require to fall back on the export companies. Cases were cited where sheep have been forwarded to. the Addington market, and have there realised higher prices, after paying thu cost of transit and all other charges, amounting toabout 3s 6d, than were offered on the farm by the buyers of the meat exporting companies. Figures are supplied as to the values offered to the farmers, showing that better results were .obtained where freezing was done privately, and it is urged that fat stock markets should be established! in the North Island, and with a view to encouraging the, establishment of the same, the suggestion is offered that the Minister of Railways should consider how far it is possible to revise the railage rates on fat stock for export.' The true remedy to meet the present difficulty would be the organisation of a Co-opera-tive Association, by which a number of

different sheepbreeders in different districts- could combine for the purpose of jointly having their meat frozen and sold on their owm account. Advances made to the purchaser upon his factory receipts would provide the farmer with working capital, and would secure to liim the profits, if any, which now go into the hands of the purchaser of his stock. In this connection, Mr Waymouth, of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, informed the Committee that though his company had never been a purchaser of meat for export, it nevertheless had developed a system of making advances to sheepfarmers and dealers against stock passed through the hands of the company for freezing, and frequently, though not necessarily, for sale through them as intermediaries. The Committee think that if the North Island companies were prepared to apply this method to their business, a considerable improvement would be effected. On the one .hand, the company would be paid its freezing charges, and thus would be guaranteed payment for its labor and the employment of its machinery and methods, whilst on the other hand the sheepfarmer would obtain actually the price which his sheep brought when finally sold in the open market. The chief evil in connection with the sale of New Zealand frozen meat in London and other United Kingdom markets appears to be that it is within the power of individual owners, salesmen, or agents to weaken, and in frequent cases to cause a decided slump in the market through placing) quantities of mutton or lamb on, it at inopportune times, and at less than current rates. The Committee have come to the conclusion that, Zealand frozen meat will never be on a sound footing till a central Board is established in London to fix prices from day to day, and thus regulate the control of sales, so as to prevent slumps through the caprices of individual salesmen. Enquiries should also be instituted as to the prospects of direct shipments to other ports in the United Kingdom than London.