FROZEN MEAT MARKET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15800, 15 April 1922, Page 9

FROZEN MEAT MARKET.

GISBORNE SETTLER’S O.BSE'RYATIONS. Writing us from Bath, England, under date February 23rd, -Mr T. J. Thomas -states: “1 notice- that (he- export of meat and the handling of it- i» exercising the minds of the producers- in New Zealand. 1 have oiten when in London visited Sinitlifield market and often seen familiar brands of Gisborne mutton. I was- disappointed to learn that Gisborne mutton was not. in good favor there. 1 failed to get, any tangible reason. It seemed a case of Dr. Fell. One- butcher promised to go into the matter if I called after the Christmas holidays, when he would have more time. 1 regret 1 have not been able to call hack. At- that time (Christinas week) he had a fine show of polled Angus beef from (ho Wellington -Meat Company. But without, doubt the pride of place (among imported meat) was held by a display of Argentine chilled beef —very fine meal and heavy carcases. The matter »f imported meal being sold as English,.is frequently brought up hv the Fanners’ Union. 1 often make a stu<jy of the mixed meat in butchers' windows, and it will call for an experienced eye to tell the difference. Some weeks ago 1 was in Eastbourne and' as ! have- staled am always interested in the butchers' windows, having started life in the butchery business and at, that time packed Welsh mutton for Her Majesty Queen Victoria, 1 noticed a good hooking shoulder of mutton hanging in the middle of the. window, ticketed ‘Home killed.’ I criticised it. severely and felt, quite satisfied it. was frozen mutton, and' the owner or foreman saw me and' thought I was a likely customer. Ho came out and said ‘Can 1 sell you a nice joint, sir?’ 1 said ‘No thank you. I was looking at- that- shoulder of mutton. If T could sec- the earmark 1 would he more sure, but I have an idea I have seen that sheep running about the hills in New Zealand.' Ho said, ‘Oh no, sir, that is Scotch,’ 1 said ‘lf it is it- lias been a long time coining from Scotland, and there was ■ a strong impression in this country and New Zealand that a considerable quantity of imported meat was passed off as English.’ He Said it was quite possible, and as. Tie learnt- that I came from Now Zealand, he said, ‘Here is Mr Cuniplin; lie spent- some years in New Zealand,’ So Mr Complin, a hardware merchant, who spent some years travelling New Zealand, changed the subject to Belarus Jack and Hare Matenga. 1 am sending you a copy of the Daily Mail will) reference to tin? dirty way that moat, is handled. Quito recently I was out- North Loudon and at Wembley station (the site of the British Empire Exhibition, 1923) I saw a number of quarters of beef just pulled out of truck or van and thrown on top of each other on the platform. There is certainly much.room for improvement in the handling of meat,"