OUR TRADE IN DAIRY PRODUCE AND FROZEN MEAT. (Canterbury Press.)

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1804, 29 January 1884, Page 4

OUR TRADE IN DAIRY PRODUCE AND FROZEN MEAT. (Canterbury Press.)

'•'tf'tfST now we are experiencing the vieiasi- '•* tudes iucident.il to the eatabliahnidiit of "kl\ Hew industries. The news received •»• by the last mail is any thins; but cneourag'"ih", Whether we consider it in relation to >i- tlie sale' of frozen me.it or dairy produce. This is rendered all the more vexatious is the facts of the case become bettei known. It is well known that Luge quantities of New Zealand mutton an* being sold in the London market as the best English and Scotcli mutton, whik 1 ■Australian meat is pawned off aa cominir '•from New Zealand. Again the failure of •the Mataura's shipment did much to increase the prejudice against our meat, 1 which some of those engaged in the trade ' : Seem to be desirous of fostering, for reasons of their own which we have not • far to seek for. In order that we may the better understand the position of affairs, it must not be forgotten that New Zeaiand mutton is quite up to the very best English and Scotch mutton, and of course the butchers of London will endeavour to keep the price of our meat down to the lowest point, thereby ensuring to themselves a ricli harvest. However shortsighted a policy this may be, it is nevertheless the chief cause of our present trouble. The salesmen and butchers of London are a very powerful body, and it will be found almost a hopeless task to endeavour to operate independently of them, unless indeed a vigorous and combined effort is made by those most deeply inteicstcd in the trade, to have our interests fairly placed before the public of Great Britian. From all we can gather from those in a position to speak authoiitatively, the best means for doing so would be by enlisting the sympathies of the powerful co-operative societies, whose influence is very powerful, ramifying throughout the whole kingdom. If they could be induced to take the matter up much might be done at little expense to ourselves to bicak down tin- system itic hindianees now rosoited to with such success foi the puipose of keeping ui out of the fair vahie of our meat. Other methods have been suggested, such as establishing a wholesale i»nd ietail tiadt together. Those competent to judge think that it might be possible to do so, but that such a course would not be wi^e Suppose it is agreed to dispose of our meat by retailing it, this would have to lie done in one of two ways— either by opening ' large maikets in the ciowded paits of London, or by having a lanjo numboi of shops stretching ovoi all the city and its suburbs There would be coiuideiable difficulty in securing pioper plenums This done, almost an insupciable difficulty would then piesent itself in the matter of getting tiustwoithy men to conduct the business These difficulties surmounted, the tiade done would of necessity be what is known in London as a cheap cutting business Tins would biing our business into disicputc v itli the other butchers, both wholesale and ictail, and no wholesale busine-ia could lie done with them. It appeals that the maiket system in crowded paits of London lias been tried on many occasions, but bas always ended in failure and heavy loss of capital. It lias been suggested that arrangements might be made with a Jaige number of the salesmen of Leadenhall and New Smithficld Markets to take up our business. E ich day these salesmen would foiwaid to the pioper authoiities a list of their leijuiiements for the next morning's market. The meat would thus be spiead over a large aica, and no paiticular silcs men would have a laiga surplus on hand, which having to be cleared, is the gieat cause of bringing a fall in prices. Wh itever system may be adopted, it is quite cleir that we cannot continue to supply the London markets at the rates which ha\e of late been luling. No one for a moment will believe that the maiket for ourpiimc mutton is limited. It is simply a mattPi of detiils, difficult no doubt in themselves, but still they must be overcome befoie our tiadc can be cat lied on at a remunerative rate to all concerned. No. 1 , as regai ds our daily pioduce. It would also" appear that wo have much to learn in the matter of shipping butter and cheese, as may be gathcied horn the following evtiaet from a Jettor wnten by Mr Peter Cunningham to the N.Z. Drain Agency, and published by our morning contemporaiy, a caieful perusal of which should afFjul many useful hints to those engaged in butter and cheese making. As much as wo desire to encout age local industry, we shall hold to the opinion expressed by us in a former issue to the effect that it would be better to import oak staves foi making butter casks :— Cheese and Butter cv s.s. Doric. — Mr Weddel and I went to the warehouse yesterday to inspect your shipment of cheese and butter e\ s.s. Doiic. We found the butter very mixed in quality ; a few kc«s of it wcic sweet and good in colour, but the bulk of both biands had the disagiccable smell which usually comes on the New Zealand butter after it has been kept several months. It will only bo sold for table use at a \ ci y low piice. I think if it a\eiages o">* it will bo about its present value. Round the edges of seveial of the kegs there is a very disagreeable smel 1 , caused appaientlyby the wood. The small consignment was decidedly the best in every way ; it was moie e\ en in colour (pel haps a little too much salted), and it should icaliae se\eial shillings a hundiedw eight more than the laigci consignment The cheese is of an oidinaiy New Zealand quality. I thought it fanly good, but the stoic manager informed me that bujen objected to it because it had a strong rank t.iste. They submitted to me several samples of the best Canadian cheese, which is now selling at (50s, and I had to admit that it was a long \uiy superior to your consignment The buyers hoi c object to cheese unless it is equal in coloi all thiough. Cheese fiom New Zealand when cut open has a mottled appearance. Their best Canadian was of an even color, weighing about 701 bs puie cheese and veiy l ich, but ap- ) arently shipped newer than yoius, and I think it would be an advantage to ship cheese from New Zealand as soon as it is fit to cany, if you can get the facilities for shipping it in cool chainlets of about DOdec;. Cheese expcits heie seem to think that a very low tempeiatuie is injurious. The broker recommends us to sell our cheese, as he thinks that in a month or two it will have a much Btronger smell, and will bring a much lower price, wheieas in the caso of the Canadian cheese, ib being shipped so much newer, rather impioves than otherwise. The estimated value of the cheese is about 52s. We have determined not to sell under 5Gs, for if we cannot get this price for new Zealand cheese in this market it will be hardly worth while shipping. There is a general all-round objection in England to the introduction of any New Zealand produce. Buyeis do not like going outside of their ordinary groove. For instance, one man objects to New Zealand cheese, because the supply is hiegular, and soon. I may mention that the packages in which the last consignments of cheese were sent were suitable enough. The most serviceable size seems to be about half cwt. cheese.

* In one year there were 1171 divorces in Switzerland ; the population is only 2,840,102. Over 130,000,000 cans of tomatoes been consumed in the United States within the last three years. " Mamma !" exclaimed a beautiful girl who had suffered affectation to obscure the little intelaect she posseFgsd, " what is that long green thing lying on the dish before you ?" " A cucumber, my beloved Georgiana,'" replied the mamma, with A bland smile of approbation at her darling's commendable curiosity. " A cucumber ? Gracious goodness, my dear mama, how very extraordinary I 1 always imagined {bat tb.ey grew in eliws,"