The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1891.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9063, 22 April 1891, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1891.

The Frozen Meat Trade in London is now so thoroughly established that very little risk exists in sending, cargoes of frozen sheep there. The demand also for New Zealand meat has so increased that those engaged in the business are looking about for further supplies, those hitherto sent being merely from Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, and "Wellington. The latter place has obtained a large portion of her stock for freezing purposes from the West Coast of this island ; but as the large steamers are now willing to call at any port where they can get cargo, the Wellington supply ha 3 somewhat fallen off. There has recently been a Conference of those engaged in the frozen meat trade, at which Mr William Weddel, the senior partner of the firm of Messrs Weddel & Co., of London, was present, when several matters connected with business were discussed. Mr Weddel has visited ail the districts where refrigerating works are erected, and has inspected them. At Hawera, too, the other day he attended a large meeting of the settlers, and by the interview thoy have added considerably to their stock of information regarding the frozen meat trade. Mr Weddel appears to have laid particular stress upon the advantages of a proper system of grading. Mutton properly classed, he says, would give much better results than carcases mixed without any regard to quality. In the former case the shipper would obtain what his meat was actually worth, while in the latter the buyer would adjust his valuation for the whole by the worst of the carcases. Ho considers that freezing companies should undertake the grading, and the various classes could be distinguished by recognised marks. , Mr Weddel gave the settlers some particulars respecting the trade in .England. He said the total annual consumption in the United Kingdom was about 16,000,000 sheep, of which 12,600,000 were Home killed, 400,000 imported alive, and 8,000,000 as frozon carcases. The improved condition of the British labouring classes had increased the consumption of meat, and the additional supplies would have to bo largely drawn from the colonies, while *the growing popularity pf fte*

Zealand mutton vrould gradually im-| prove the demand. Mr Weddel said he / anticipated a substantial reduction in freight, and thought it exceedingly foolish on the part of growers to contract at the present moment for the sale of \ their mutton at f.o.b. prices two or three r years ahead. Referring to frozen beef, Mr Weddel, when in tlje South Island, said he did not think that New Zealand would ever be much of a beef exporting country, as wherever it was possible to supplant cattle with sheep that would be done at as early a date as convenient ; but at the same'jtinie for whatever beef New Zealand might ship he did not think she would he called upon in future to face the excessively low prices which were current some months last year. That depression arose, he said, from the fact that- excessive supplies were received from America, but as American shippers were making losses, running frequently to £5 per head on their cattle, and were compelled by freight engagements to continue shipping to what was practically a certain loss, he did not think that they, haviug got out of that mess were likely to again involve themselves in suyh a predicament. Referring to Queensland, he said he thought it likely that the freezing companies there ' would devote their attention chiefly to the shipment of beef, as in North Queensland good beef was being sold at under a Id per " lb, and the local outlet even at that price was limited. The Queenslanders, however, were not likely to ship to such an extent as to materially reduce values in England, and he did not fancy that their shipments of mutton would show any very great increase on what they are at present. At Hawera the question of insurance of the meat was referred to, and we learn from the Hawera Star that Mr Weddel recognises it is very unsatisfactory for an insurer to receive a notice that the underwriters decline to pay insurance on damaged meat on the ground that the meat was insufficiently frozen when shipped. The shipper, he said, knew he could not prove that the meat was not well frozen, and therefore it would be a losing speculation for him to attempt, to force any underwriter to pay up under such circumstances. But if the Shipping Company would include insurance and freight in one charge the difficulty would be got over, for the Company's officers would see to it that any meat insufficiently frozen was rejected when offered: This is a matter which will want settling ; for some one will have " to be made liable, as it is scarcely fair the producer should have to bear the loss. The visit of Mr Weddel to Taranaki .will do good, for he will have seen something of the country which in the future is destined to become a very large producing district.