FROZEN MEAT TRUST

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14764, 1 October 1921, Page 6

FROZEN MEAT TRUST

PROSPECTS NOT ENCOURAGING. GRADING AND HANDLING DEFECTS. PREJUDICE TO BE BROKEN DOWN. The prospects for the frozen meat industry are by no means rosy, according to Mr D. Long, secretary of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company, who has just returned, with Mr John E Makgill, chairman of the company, from a six months' trip to Europe and America. Mr Long said they stopped at the chief cities in Canada and visited most 01 the big packing houses there and also in Chicago. Everywhere they were told that the packers were losing money. The present high rates threatened to kill the New Zealand meat trade, as beef was already unprofitable, and lamb and mutton would be in the same box if prices dropped :o pre-war figures. While in London Mr Massey arranged a deputation to shipowners, which resulted in a promise that the position would be reviewed in New Zealand before the first week in January, irrespective of contracts, and if working costs fell iq ihe meantime it was expected that the slipping con"panics would do something lb meet the situation. When Ihe last rates were framed, said Mr Long, beef suffered most, as under the previous contract it was about 25 per cent, less than iamb (while it was estimated to occupy about 25 per cent- less space), but under the new contract it was only 12$ per cent, lower. This difference of 12J per cent meant iOs per head. Stores Full of Stale Meat. Mr Long added that it was enrouragIng to sec that the Farmers' Union was taking the freight matter up, but he would suggest that they make their objective a minimum of 50 steamers, and not 20. They must not lose sight of the fact that 'the bulk of New Zealand produec must be marketed before European supplies were available, and provision must be made, therefore, to lift .15.000 tons of butler and 75,000 tons of chese from September to March, and 6,000,000 to 7.000,000 carcases of meat from December to May. They must also bear in mind that the average voyage occupied live months. Speaking of prices, Mr Long is afraid we cannot look for much improvement until the industrial position in England improves. There is little prospect of an extensive Continental demand- Stores in the United Kingdom are full, and much of the meal, is inferior and stale. It was worth nothing, he said, that, the big operations such as Vesteys and the American Packers failed to gauge the trend of the market. Many men in the trade in London who were well qualified to judcrc said that beef would improve, hut that lamb and light mutton would be slightly cheaper next season. Heavy-weight mutton was not wanted. Even if beef did improve, it was not likely to reach a price that would be profitable until freights relumed to something like normal. Lie tail prices In England are. in Mr Long's opinion, far too high, especially- for beef. Although a colossal undertaking, the Dominion might he forced into the retail trade in self-defence. Handling Frozen Meat. . Commenting upon the method of j hau/ilmg frozen meat, Mr Long said the facilities at the docks in London still left much to he desired. We in New Zealand were nut blameless cither, for there were far too many broken shanks | and torn and dirty wrappers before the meat left the Dominion. At the Victoria Docks meal was still taken from the ship's slings in hand-trucks, thence to the railway trucks, lorries or barges. Sometimes a conveyor was used from the steamers' deck to hand-trucks, but in cither case the produce had to be wheeled considerable distances. The j conveyance of meat in barges to up- j river stores was objectionable, but could not be obviated. A few years ago the Port of London Authorities built an up-to-date store with sorting shed at the Albert Dock, where Ihere was room for three steamers to berth, hut gome reason it had nol been used to any great extent. At this store, covered conveyors from Hie ship's hold to sorting shed were used. The handling of meat after it left Smithfield Market was also unsatisfactory. This applied to all meat, home-grown and imported. Mr Long believes that the multiplicity of marks and consequent sorting Id still the cause of a great deal of loss and damage, lie was told of one manifest which contained 795 marks and one bill of lading IG3. The Port ot London authorities, he considered, v ere anxious to improve handling facilities, but lie was sorry to say that the sliipi ;ng companies did not display much enthusiasm in this connection. Trade has Received a Setback. With regard to grading, Mr Long said that during the commandeer period, although under Government supervision, this was very unsatisfactory. Since then some of the works had improved, toil many had not. During Ihe war period most of tin; inferior grades were put on the London markel (Ilie he.sl beef and million went lo feed Hie troops) and the prejudice against frozen meal revived. There was no doiibl Ihal the industry had received a selhack. lie was inclined lo Ihink. however. Dial this setback was no| us peri-ins as lliey were led lo believe, for afler all a greal deal of lln-ir meat, liol.w;llislandiiig Government regulations, weiii inlo consumption a- homegrown, and. provided the quality was fighl and grading satisfactory, New ZoaI,.11• 1 would soon recover its reputation.