THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 8660, 24 October 1896, Page 2

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

[to the editor.] In last Saturday’s issue of your paper there appeared a letter under the following heading: “Shipping meat at Timaru,” emanating from the pen of Mr Gilbert Anderson, managing director for the Christchurch Meat Company, Limited, and addressed to the chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board. As the chairman has net taken any action in replying through your columns to this letter, and as I was one of the members who brought the matter forward at the Board’s meeting, I will, with your permission, endeavour to give Mr Anderson my reasons for introducing this matter. Mr Anderson, in referring to the report of the Timaru Herald , says that it is implied that the Christchurch Meat Company is at fault, because a large portion of the meat has been railed to Lyttelton instead of being shipped at Timaru. A little sophistry comes in here, and then he goes on to say he regrets that the Timaru Harbour Board has not endeavoured to see whether there is not some other reason lying immediately at their own door, and then he favours us with a copy of a letter from Mr Gibbs, the general manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, who regrets to say that the steamer Ruahine will be too deep after loading at Port Chalmers and the Bluff to call at Timaru, and he will be glad if Mr Anderson will rail up any meat required. As a matter of course Mr Gibb did ngt feel disposed to allow his vessel to go out of the way to visit Timaru. She had already called at the Bluff and Dunedin, and as it was decided the ship must go on to Lyttelton, it would no doubt suit the New Zealand Shipping Company better to pay the extra railage on the few thousand carcases required, than send the ship out of her way to Timaru, There would have been no hesitation o.n the part of the company to send their vessel to Timaru if a full cargo could be assured. In fact, as a case in point, only a few months since, one of the largest and most valuable steamers coming to New Zealand came alongside the Timaru breakwater wharf, during very rough weather. She came into port drawing 21ft 6in, and took away a large portion of cargo. I refer to the Hakaia. I may also mention that the Mamari has lately been acting as cargo boat and lighter for a large frozen meat steamer now lying at Lyttelton. She was here last week and again on Monday. The fact is the. fault lies at our oivn doors, namely, a great want of public spirit in South Canterbury, or the late Frozen Meat Company would not have parted with their interests, to people whose interests are not in accord with theirs, and all the honeyed language that may be used to induce us to believe that our interests are theirs, will not controvert plain facts. At the present time, we are not only losing from Is to 3s a head on all the sheep raised in South Canterbury (Addington prices rule about 2s a head more for fat sheep than ours), but we are also losing a very large portion of the revenue of this port, as every sheep and bale of wool railed to Lyttelton means loss to our port and also loss in value of sheep to the farmers of this district, who have to pay the harbour rates, and except the ;break is put on outsiders, and wei work together mutually in our own interests* ive can only expect to play second fiddle to clever business men such as the directors of the Christchurch Meat Company, who look carefully after their own affairs. At the present tine this company are acting in the dual capacity of buyers and sellers—buyers of sheep, etc., from the farmers, and sellers of frozen mutton to the shipping companies, who purchase meat to fill their vessels, .when outside freight is not procurable. The Christchurch Meat Company as a matter of course have to ship the meat in quantities required to the different vessels as instructed, but if the Meat Company had legitimate opposition and were anxious to ship all meat frozen at their works here, instead of railing' to Christchurch, they could soon force the hands of the shipping companies, who would then only send here the proper class of steamers for full cargoes. But it appears to me that fear of the shipping accommodation of this port has nothing to do with the question—selfinterests alone are at the bottom of it, not shipping meat at Timaru. I will now place a few facts before your readers and let them judge for themselvesln 1893 the total of carcases of frozen meat shipped from Timaru was 108,582 - railed 26,670 ; 1894, 127,149 and 53,703 ; 1895,176,302 and 75,851. Daring the first nine months of 1896 79,313 carcases were shipped and 122,847 railed. In 1893 five steamers came here and went away without taking meat They had to accept wool, grain, tallow, etc., viz, the s.s. Morayshire on 29th March, Nairnshire on 19th July, Fifeshire on 21st August, Morayshire on 31st October, and the Maori on 30th December, in 1894 the Nairnshire came on January 29th and again on July 9th ; in 1895 the Matatua on 20th November; in 1896 the Aorangl onlSbh March. During 1893, while theßangitira was lying in Ti maru 3646 carcases were railed to the Kaikoura on 9th’May.’ The Rangatira only took aboard 21,034, and the capacity of this class of boat runs from 60,000 to 90,000 sheep- On the 19th September the Kaikoura was in Timaru and only took 13,150, but on 11th of the Sftme rbwifcli there were railed to the Ruahine 17,591 sheep. During 1894 the Tekoa took away 12,324 on 7th April ?

and on 10th, 2435 were railed to the Pakeha. The Mamari was here on 6th July and shipped 6353, and on the same date there were railed to the Ruahine 9488. The Nairnshire left here .on the 9th July without meat, taking other cargo. On the 7th September there were 10,075 railed to the Ruapehu. 1895 —On the 12th July the Rangitira shipped 12,864, and on the Bth of the same month 2933 were railed to the Tokomaru, and 2200 on 11th to the Ruapehu, on 26th 5022 to the Rangitira, on the 23rd August the Mamari shipped 8350,whilst there were railed the day previous 1000 to the Tairiui,and 10,531 to the Ruahine. On 18th September 7910: were railed to the Gothic. On the 28th of the same month the Aorangi took 6891, and on October 20th the Rimutaka 15,104. About the same date 9981 were railed, to the Aotea. In 1896, March 18th, the Aorangi came here and only took away wool, &c., while at the same time 15,681 carcases were railed to the Aotea. On 6th June' the Matatua took 21,481, and there were railed to the Ruahine at the same time 5223. The Otarama came here on 25th June, taking 7163 and on the same date 10)258 were railed to the Gothic, During the September quarter of 1896 no meat was shipped here, but there were 53,963 railed, to Lyttelton to be put aboard the following named steamers :—The Tongariro, Pakeha, ‘ Rimutaka, Tokomaru and Tekoa, all of which have at one time or other visited this port. These facts should be an answer to the latter portion of Mr G. Anderson’s letter,dated 16th inst, where he suggests that the members of the Timaru Harbour Board, instead of interviewing the Christchurch Meat Company, should go fully into the matter with the various shipping companies and produce to them evidence to prove that the Timaru Harbour is not only of sufficient depth and capacity to accommodate the largest ocean-going steamers, but that there is no risk whatever in any boats loading at this port. The writers of the following lette's have not attempted (as Mr Anderson has done) to blame the port for vessels not calling: ‘ The New Zealand Shipping Company, “ Limited. “Timaru, 2nd July, 1894. “ The Secretary, “ Timaru Harbour Board, , “Timaru. “Dear. Sib,—l am in receipt of your letter of 23rd ult. with reference to railage of .meat from local freezing works to Lyttelton for shipment. “ I am directed to inform you that meat has been railed two or three times to our steamers, because the trim at the time of loading, and also the time at our disposal, did not admit of the steamers calling here, and that several small lines have been railed up by the Meat Company without our knowing it, being shipped as part of their Christchurch, engagements. ) “ It would not of course pay us to bring steamers in here for small lots, and 1 thinlc you will admit that the Company has to consider such questions when arranging steamers’movements. “lean assure you that it is not intended to make a practice of railing meat to Lyttelton, and we shall always when possible hring our boats to.Timaru for fair sized shipments. “ The 8;S. Waikato and following steamers will call here for meat. “ I am, Dear Sir, “ Yours Faithfully, “ Geo B. Bullock. , “ Local Agent, and lately Member of the Timaru Harbour Board.” “Shaw Savill and Albion Company “Limited. “ Christchurch, N Z., 27th October, 1894 “ The Secretary, “ Timaru Harbour Board, “Timaru. “Dear Sib,—l have to apologise for neglecting to answer your letter of the 24tb earlier, and to thank you for the return of shipments made at Timaru. “ Our instructions from London, are to the effect that your port is to - he. supplied with steam, .tonnage whenever there is sufficient-collected to, warrant the expenses being recouped. “The cause .of meat being railed from Timaru is usually through pur:; finding that we require a few thousand carcases to fill the chambers of steamers making Lyttelton the last port of call for coaling. “ The.Matatua goes into your port in about ten days’ time for a large quantity of meat and wool. “ Yours faithfully, “For Shaw Savill and Albion Com- ' “ pany, Limited, “ P, Cunningham.” If the Meat Company continue to cater for South Canterbury at the same ratio in the future as in the past, live, sheep will all require to be railed to Addington Market and the frozen mutton to Lyttelton. Our successful artificial port that has coat over-£300,000 to construct will only be wanted to berth small Union Company’s steamers and second class sailers. The prediction made some time back appears likely to be borne out, viz., that grass will grow luxuriantly in our streets. The Farmers’ Co-operative and the Christchurch Meat Company’s directors between them will be able to run all business that may be expected to be done in Timaru when the farmers are all bankrupt- A shipping port will not then be needed, I may here remark it is now rumoured that in future all pelts are to be railed from here to the Islington works for treatment. If so, the employment previously given to some score or two of men in this district will cease, and the wages now paid here will be distributed in Christchurch., Meantime I should recommend that the Meat Company,and not a deputation from Timaru Harbour Board, shall consult with the managers Of the shipping companies in Christchurch. . lam etc,, William Evans.