The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1885.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3259, 7 March 1885, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1885.

Another conference of delegates representing the various frozen meat companies of New Zealand has just been held at Christchurch. Pretty well all the companies seem to have been represented, and we notice that Messrs E. Elworthy and E. Acton attended from South Canterbury. The proceedings were not open to the Press, so that the public are debarred from reaping the full benefit of such a conference of representative men, whose combined experience ought to be productive of much useful information m regard to the trade. However, the experimental era of frozen meat is now pretty well over. What the delegates had to do was not so much to exchange ideas on the general principles of the trade, which are now tolerably well established, as to devise some means for getting better terms from the shipping companies, and to arrange a better system of distributing the meat m England. These were pure business details, regarding which, no doubt, the delegates were quite wise not to take everybody into their confidence. In reference to freight, a resolution was passed that l^d per Ib, and ten per cent primage was the highest rate of freight the trade could at present afford; and the members of the Conference expressed a hope that no difficulty would be experienced m getting the Shipping Companies to meet these views. Terms of shipment were discussed, and several matters of detail fixed upon m this respect — the principal being that an endeavor should be made to have the Shipping Companies directly interested m delivering the cargoes m London m good condition by having part of the freight payable m London. There is no doubt that, ■bearing m . mind the fluctuations m the English market, and the fact that frozen meat is really the backbone of the trade on which the direct steamers have to rely, it is time the Shipping Companies made a substantial concession to shippers. One can understand that when the export was m its infancy, and there was some doubt whether it would continue long enough to repay the cost of the expensive machinery with which the steamers had to be fitted, the Shipping Companies should then have felt compelled, m justice to themselves, to charge high freights. Now, however, the trade is well-established and there is no chance of its being discontinued unless the Shipping Companies kill it by exorbitant imposts. Their aim should now be to encourage its expansion by meeting the freezing companies on the most liberal terms consistent with due regard for their own interests. The fact that one large refrigerating company has already found it necessary to suspend operations should act as a warning to the steamship owners to beware lest they kill the goose that is now supplying them with golden eggs. The other point, m reference to paying aproportion of the freight m London, so as to make the companies interested m delivering the cargoes m good condition, seems a veiy fair position for the shippers to take up. At present-there is really no guarantee that due care will be taken of the cargo during the voyage. If anything goes wrong with the meat the engineer produces his log-book showing that an admirably low temperature was preserved during the voyage, and the shippers have to be content with this. The worst of it is that, although they pay a heavy premium for insurance, it is very difficult to get any satisfaction eveh" : frotn-the 'insurance companies m such a case, owing to the uncertainty as to whether the loss may not have been caused by the negligence of those on board the ship. Between the two stools, the unfortunate freezing company generally cdmes to the ground. . The question of disposing of the meat m London was admitted to be m a very unsatisfactory condition, but there was some difference of opinion as to what was the beßt remedy. One party wanted a company to be formed to receive consignments and attend to the disposal of the frozen meat m London. After considerable discussion this was negatived, and it was resolved to take steps to induce the consignees m London to elect a Committee for the purpose of controlling and regulating : all matters m connectiou with the disposal of the meat. It was- further suggested that a suitable person should .be sent Home to facilitate the organisation of the Committee; all expenses to be made a pro rata charge on all the meat passing through the hands of the Committee. There is no doubt this is the more feasible and workable plan of the two. The risks and expenses connected with a Company, would more than counter* j

balance any possible advantages it might confer, apart from which it would be impossible, m the majority of cases, to divert consignments from the present channels through which they reach London. The Committee, we suppose, will regulate the sales of frozen meat something after the fashion m which the wool sales are now managed, and they ought to be able to avert the constant glutting of the market which is mainly responsible for the present low prices. We hope, however, that while giving due regard to all these points, shippers will give their paramount attention to sending Home only cargoes of the very best quality, so as to preserve the good name which haß so far placed the New Zealand meat at the top of the market. It is hinted m the Home papers that some of the cargoes received recently from this colony had not been up to the usual standard, and it is significantly added that plenty of second-rate carcases can be got from Australia and the River Plate. One journal facetiously commends the mutton from South America on the ground that by the 1 exercise which it demands from the " maxillary processes " it assists materially m the development of "jaw." What is more to the point, however, is the fact that the Argentine Republic infends to propose to Congress a bonus on the export of frozen meat. This is a tacit admission that at present the South American ranches are not able to compete with the runs of Australia and New Zealand. The effect of such a bonus would be to cheapen the price m the London market. There will always be a demand, however, for meat of high quality m preference to that which is " cheap and nasty," and New Zealand, by keeping up the standard of her shipments, will still be able to hold her own. The moment, however, she lets the standard decline, she runs the risk of inflicting on the trade a blow from which it may never recover.