HOME MEAT TRADE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17067, 27 September 1929, Page 11

HOME MEAT TRADE

FLUCTUATING PERIOD CHRISTCHURCH MAN’S VIEWS Air W. H. ;E. Flint, manager of liorthwick and Sons. Ltd., has returned to Christchurch from a- business trip to England. Making himself familiar with conditions in the meat trade occupied almost the tvhole of Mr. Flint’s nine weeks in England, and be had some interesting comments to make when interviewed by a Christchurch Star reporter. Mr. Flint said there was always a degree of uncertainty with meat, and when he was in the Homeland the trade was passing through one of its fluctuating periods with prices showing a downward tendency. A similar condition was also apparent elsewhere, and with wool prices still falling, tallow going through a period of depression, and hides and skins getting a- very poor reception in Bermondsey, the outlook was not as promising us it might he. THE DOMINATING INFLUENCE Asked if he thought there was any possibility- of increased shipments of meat to ports on the west coast- of England, Mr. Flint replied in the negative. London was the dominating influence in the market, add in any case flic industrial areas had little demand for the higher quality and higher-priced New Zealand moats. If bigger shipments were sent there they would encounter competition from the cheaper Australian and Patagonian meat. The present shipments were sufficient to meet the demand for I lie higher quality, which was consumed only by a section of the inhabitants of tho big ports. Loudon was the only market in England where the demand for imported lamb was sustained throughout tho year, for in the north the demand entirely disappeared with the arrival of English beef and iamb. HANDLING IMPROVES

A slight improvement in the handling and marketing of Zealand meal was noted by Mr Flint. • The Dominion product, he said, was now arriving in excellent condition, probably due. to improved refrigerating conditions on the boats engaged in (ht trade. Mr. Flint took part in a conference bet pen New Zealand’s Dindoii representatives of the Meat. Dairy and Fruit Control Boards, and representatives of -the shipping .companies. The object of the conference was j 0 bring before the shipping authorities a complaint about the irregularity of shipping, to,west coast ports. I*roquet)tj!v< ships'were 'a'dihig'way out from their schedules and. 'it' was stated, this bad n prcindica),effect on the marketing ot the Dotntnioic's ' produce. The shipping people’ gave the -representatives a most sympathetic hearing, and at- mice set a'bout ’ finding, Y-ui ' what could lie done to effect an 'improvement.