H.—l7

16

Lamb.

New Zealand lamb is now well recognised throughout the country, and the prices realised for it during the twelvemonth have been satisfactory, the average for "prime Canterbury" being given in the official trade record as 5Jd. per pound. I have been pleased to observe a steady increase in the number of butchers who, hitherto confining their attention to English meat, have in the past year been stocking New Zealand lamb and openly advertising that they are selling it. In conversation with several of these parties, they admitted that it is giving entire satisfaction to their customers, who praise its quality. The large increase in New Zealand lamb imported into the United Kingdom during 1902 over 1901—namely, 393,587 carcases—must be noted with satisfaction. Arrivals of River Plate lamb this season show a considerable increase over those received for the same period last year, although the number is not as great as had been expected. Last year, from the beginning of the season until the end of March, 37,169 carcases were received from Argentina, while this year the number has increased to 88,610. Values of River Plate lamb at the 31st March were sd. to s£d. Beef. New Zealand beef has during the year again shown the fluctuations of price so noticeable in former years, being greatly dependent on the supply of American chilled beef. The average price, however, must be considered good, and is greatly in advance of that realised for any recent year. The quality has given satisfaction on the market, much of it being very superior. Fraudulent Meat-sales. Complaints have again this year been frequently made by butchers selling New Zealand meat of the severe handicap they experience in their business from the fraudulent practice of competitors in trade selling River Plate mutton and lamb as " New Zealand " or "prime Canterbury." The difficulty, however, of getting evidence to secure the conviction of an offender is very great. Acting on your instructions, I laid an information under the Merchandise Marks Act against one of the parties complained of. I was able to prove that this butcher, although advertising that he was selling New Zealand mutton, had nothing in his shop but River Plate meat, which he substituted for it. The Magistrate convicted him, and imposed a fine of £6 and costs. I desire again to emphasize what I have during the past number of years repeatedly said, that this fraudulent practice is general throughout the Midlands and the North, and that it is most hurtful to the improvement of the New Zealand mutton trade. The little advantage that may be gained in price (if any) by the sale by English butchers of New Zealand mutton as English is infinitesimal compared with the loss sustained by the substitution of River Plate meat for New Zealand. During the year a leaflet was prepared and circulated throughout the country giving general information concerning New Zealand meat. In it the. attention of consumers was drawn to the prevalent substitution of other meat for New Zealand, and it was suggested that in order to protect themselves when purchasing they should request to be supplied with an invoice clearly indicating that the meat was New Zealand. A copy of the leaflet is appended to this report. The subject of the sale of foreign and colonial meat as British by butchers in this country, to which considerable attention was given a few years ago, has recently again been taken up by the British Government. A letter has been addressed by the President of the Board of Agriculture to the National Federation of Meat-traders' Associations and other meat-trade societies, pointing out the illegality of the practice, and stating his intention to take steps to prevent it. A private member's Bill dealing directly with the matter has also been introduced into the House of Commons. The question is one of considerable moment to the meat-exporters of New Zealand. It is well known that a quantity of New Zealand meat—especially mutton and tegs—is sold by butchers in this country as English, and this practice has occasionally been put forward in the colony as an argument against the branding of New Zealand meat. It might be well, so as to be prepared should the British Government put an end to the fraudulent practice, and this argument be removed, to consider the advisability of branding New Zealand meat for export to this country, in order to protect it against the sale of River Plate or other frozen meat as New Zealand. Meat-branding. I have been making very close inquiry throughout the country as to the result of branding, and am satisfied that the objection made to it, that it would encourage prejudice, and would be hurtful to the sale of the meat, is entirely erroneous. At present consumers know well, except when it is sold to them as English, from the prices they pay for colonial and foreign meat that they are not receiving English, and they purchase it with that knowledge. They do not know, however, whether they are receiving New Zealand or River Plate meat, even though they may ask for the former. There is nothing to indicate this to them. A neat, clear, indelible brand placed on each of the principal joints would be a guarantee of the source of origin, and of the quality of the meat supplied. Not only would such a brand be a guarantee to consumers, but it would afford a cood point from which to advertise New Zealand meat exclusively. From the inquiries I have made, I have no hesitation in asserting that, speaking generally, retailers and consumers throughout the country would welcome the introduction by the New Zealand Government of a system of meat-branding such as indicated. D AIEY-PEODUCE. The markets for dairy-produce this season have been good, especially that for cheese, prices of which have reached figures never previously made since the establishment of the first cheesefactory in New Zealand, The quality of the butter, taken all through, has been very satisfactory.