JOTTINGS FROM A TRAVELLER’S JOURNAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 825, 22 December 1882, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM A TRAVELLER’S JOURNAL.

IX. A Digression—ln London—The Frozen Meat Trade.

In my last I brought your readers—those of them who have had patience and curiosity enough to accompany me —as far as Montreal, and following the order of time and sequence I ought in this communication to tell them what I saw in that city, and relate the events of my onward progress. But I must crave permission to digress, and devote this letter to a special topic. I will resume my rambles next time. I am now in London and have just returned from the Royal Albert Docks, where the Chimborazo, one of the Orient line of steamers, is discharging five thousand carcases of frozen mutto t, and I thought some remarks on this growing branch of trade might be interesting to some of your readers. I ws not in time to see the cargo brought to London in the Mataura, but I hear t that it was landed in capital condition ; and as what I saw and heard to-day, will apply in general to meat coming from New Zealand as well as to that which comes from Sydney, I do not hesitate to lay before you the results of my observation and enquiries. The success of the enterprise is no longer a doubtful matter, in so far as the possibility of sending meat from the colonies to JEngland, and landing it in good marketable condition are concerned. It may be considered unefait accompli. In proof cf this I will relate what one of the wharfingers told me. About, twelve months ago a cargo of frozen meat from New Zealand arrived in the S. W. India Do;k. My informant could not remember the name of the vessel that brought it. Shortly after it had been landed, 2,000 sheep and 10 carcases of beef were transferred to the Government floating refrigerator and thence put on board one of the transports about to convey troops to Egypt, This portion of the cargo wa ■ conveyed to Alexandria, and last month some of the same meat remaining unconsumed, was brought back in as good condition as when it was shipped, and sold in the market. This proves, beyond question, the success of the freezing process. But are the returns adequately remunerative to the shippers ? lam not able to answer this question, never having an opportunity of knowing the net results. I assume, however, that it is not a losing venture ; it must pay, to same extent, or shipments would cease. Whether, under the present system, it is as remunerative as it might be is quite a different question, and the information I have gathered today leads me to believe that the shippers do not derive all the benefit they ought to do, and might certainly secure, if a different system of sale were adopted. Nothing, as yet, has been done to awaken the interest of consumers. The middlemen stand between them and the shippers, so that there is but little if any pecuniary advantage to the consumer. He has to give within a trifle, and sometimes quite as much, for a joint of meat that was landed in a frozen state and sold to the butcher at proportionably low rates, as he would be required to give for Horae slaughtered meat. In fact he does not always know that the meat he purchases has come from a>)road.

The present system, as I understand it, is something like this : The cargo is con' signed to a mercantile firm. On its arrival it is put into the hands of salesmen, on what terms I cannot say ; but of course they expect to be paid for what they do. I should imagine they are not satisfied with less than ten per cent, commission. They sell to the butchers, who watch the market narrowly, and regulate their orders as to quantity, so as to keep up the retail price. The average obtained from the butchers by the salesman is or 8d per lb. The price demanded from the consumer is seldom below lid or Is. Hence the people, who are and ought to be most deeply interests!, and materially benefited by the enterprize, are deprived of the advantages it might be made to confer. When the first costs and local charges—merchants’ and salesmen’s commissions, and transit expenses on this side, are deducted from the above-named figures at which the meat is sold, I fear the remainder is not very remunerative—at all events not nearly so much so as it would be if direct relations could be established between the shipper and the consumer. If arrangements were made to consign to some responsible person representing the owners, and suitable shops were rented in different parts of London, and perhaps in some of the largo provincial towns, and the meat sold direct to the consumer on owners’ account, there would be immediately created great inducements. Suppose some joints were sold at 9£d or lOd and inferior parts, such as the necks and breast ■, at Bd, these prices would present such a contrast to the ordinary charges for home-slaghtered meats that an increasing demand would ensue, and after paying the salaries of employees, I apprehend that the net remains would be at least as high, and probably much higher, than those now realised by the shippers. Why could not a company be formed to carry out some such arrangement? I am quite convinced that the New Zealand graziers will never realise the full benefit of the frozen meat trade until they are in a position to dispense with the middle men and sell direct to the consumers. Or if it be considered too troublesome to attempt the retail busines- 1 , at least to be their own salesmen in disposing of the meat wholesale.

I am assured on good authority that the corporation of the Uo3'al Albert Dock, who have a refrigerator, would readily make arrangements with the shippers of the meat to receive and retain it un il wanted, so that there would bo no necessity at present of incurring the expense of preparing refrigerators. The shippers would only require to secure eligible premises in different parts of London and the country, and trustworthy persons to take charge of them. Of course the supply would have to be continuous, and the corporation would transfer it from the refrigerator to the various establishments according to order. There may be difficulties in the way of such an arrangement that I do not foresee, but surely they are not insuperable ; and I am quite sure that even if at the outset the expenses were such as to s■;ow but little improvement on general results, before very long the increased demand, and the saving of intermediate commissions and charges, would ensure very much larger profits than accrue under the present system. I submit these suggestions as worthy the serious consideration of those who are engaged in this trade, and may add, that whether or not action I o taken in the matter, shippers will do well to remember that under the present system a good deal depends upon the size of the meat. To secure the best possible res ilts, the sheep sent to this market should weigh from seven to ten stone per carcase, and beef from eighty to one hundred and twenty stone. Calves, if sent to arrive here in the spring of the year, and landed in good condition, would fetch about (;s per stone. 1 think it likely that poultry and

butter might be found profitable art idea of export. I trust I need not apologise for this digression. 1 speak with more confidence when narrating the incidents of my travels. I do not pretend .to be an expert in the frozen meat trade. I merely give you the opinions I have been led to form, from what I have seen and heard : and I may say that the opinions I have expressed, are endorsed and confirmed by many who are practically acquainted with this branch of commerce as at present carried on. It is very generally admitted that under the existing mode of procedure, the middle men are deriving advantages which ought to be ■hared between the shipper and consumer; Viator.