THE MEAT TRADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13956, 16 July 1909, Page 5

THE MEAT TRADE.

AGREEMENT. WORKING SMOOTHLY. INCREASE IN PRICES. Pres« Associa.t.ion-By Telegraph-Copyright Received 8.50 p.m., July 15th. LONDON, July 15. The meat importers and. agents state that the new agreement thus far is working smoothly.- The inclement weather is the chief cause of the glut of lambs, still as the market is oversupplied to the extent of 1,000,000 lambs and 1,000,000 sheep, onjy fine weather will save the situation. An increase of prices has been arranged' because the butchers, feared the eompoti-. tion'.of the small barrow or stall street salesmen. The retailers are willing to pay'an extra farthing in order to keep the costerinongcrs .out: Mr Cameron, speaking Jit :n .meeting on behalf of the Hon. -W. Hall-Jones, said that New Zealand was anxious to assist the trade, and would'circularise largely, but doubted the advisability of spending £2OOO or £]Qjooo, on advertising in the newspapers. In this connection it was suggested at the meeting that it would be unfair for New Zealand to bear the cost of advertising which would benefit Australia and tho Argentine equally with New Zealand. The importers answer that nine-tenths of the present stock of lambs come'from New Zealand. ' AFTER DINNER HOPES. Received 11.40 p.m., July 15th. LONDON, July 15. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company ' entertained the Press delegates. Sir Montague Nelson expressed tho hope that the meat trade would soon revive. The consumption in the United Kingdom had increased, from 701bs to 1211bs per head in 25 years. Mr Mac Donald, of ' New Zealand, said he considered it desirable for the farmers of Australasia 'to be brought closer to the consumer, through one agency if possible. The fewer firms between them the better.

Mr "Ward, of the Sydney ." Telegraph," expressed the hope that in future conferences all great enterprises wherewith the dominions were identified would receive due recognition.