THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1959, 2 October 1888, Page 4

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

At Last there .appear to be indications that the exporters of frozen mutton are beginning to bestir themselves with a view to putting the trail o upon a more satisfy- ry footing. r lhe only wonder is that they had not done so long ago, for it is perfectly marvellous that they have &o long submitted to the robbery — for it is nothing less — to which they have been for years subjected at the hands of middlemen, who have been pocketing the lion's share of the proceeds and returning to the shippers but a miserable pittance. Mr Me Hardy, a well-known sheep farmer of Napier, j is at Home just now pursuing enquiries into the matter, and a few days ago there was published m the "Hawkes Bay Herald" a letter from that gentle men m which he indicates the measures which should be taken to work the much-needed reform. He tells us that the prejudice which formerly existed m England against frozen mutton is dying out, and that were proper arrangements made an average price fully a penny per lb better than present quotations could readily be obtained. He thinks that theprimest mutton would command 6d per lb, and we think it very likely indeed that this is the case, seeing that under existing arrangements present quotations range up to sfd, Mr McHardy is of opinion that there are too many agents engaged m selling New Zealand meat,, and states that Mr Larkworthy, of the Bank of New Zealand, and Mr Thomas Kussell (who is now at Home) both agree with him m that view, He says that the trade is kept back by the agents underselling each other and thinks that "there should only be about three agents for the sale of New Zealand mutton, and that they should be men who would work together. Then there would bo no trouble m getting a payable price. It would be quite easy to get at least ld per lb more if this could be done, and it would mean tens of thousands to the colony. Three agents like Nelson Bros., Borthwick, of Liverpool (who sells a good deal for the Loan and Mercantile), and Filler and Sons, of London, would work together and not undersell each other." .Referring to the competition of South. American meat, Mr McHardy assures the people of New Zealand that they " need not be afraid that the JKiver Plate mutton will run the New Zealand off the market. It will, no doubt, keep the price lower, but the quality is very inferior, and the large sheep are even worse than the smaller ones." There is some fault m the grass there ; it will not produce good mutton. Several large sheep owners from that country have told him that they cannot grow mutton of good quality, and one of the above has been breeding large sheep for the last 16 years. He then goes on to give some useful hints as to how the carcases should be prepared for the English market, and inter alia, says : — " 1 enclose you copy of letter from Mr Borthwick, m which you will notice he mentions the flap of the sheep ought to be turned back. It Bhould be fastened with a small skewer till the sheep gets cold, and it then makes a great differ ence m giving it a better appearance. One of his butchers told me it would be a great advantage if the shoulders were put m a different form, Tha shank ought to be skewed back on the side of the brisket, instead of forward beside the neck. This makes the shoulder look much larger and the carcase wider across the shoulders, but I doubt if it would pack so well m the ship as it would take up more room. A few might be tried." These facts and opinions are all worth noting, as also are others urged by another large flock master and exporter, Mr John Douglas, of Waihao Downs, who has recently been dealing with the same subject m the columns of the "Otago Daily Times." Mr Douglas also recognises— as who does not? — that the producer is being wronged under the present system, and endeavours to point out the remedy. He points to " the present multifarious handlings," and the "practice of falsifying the quality by substituting South American or other inferior qualities for New Zealand mutton," and to the fact that, to a large extent, the same firms are both agents for the seller and buyers on their own account as principal factors m the keeping down of prices, and urges that the true remedy would be an entire remodelling of the whole business. He says: — " As a permanent solution of the distribution difficulty, I propose that we appoint at Home, exclusively m our own interests, a responsible, capable man to take charge of the whole of our shipments, and who, while ready to sell 'cq butchers and middlemen, would at tbe same time offer facilities to suitable, enterprising men for the opening, of New Zealand frozen mutton stores m densely populated districts, taking security for their intromissions, he guaranteeing to supply them at a fixed price. In witing this I have a case m my mind's eye of a gentleman who left New Zealand and opened a New Zealand frozen mutton store m the South of Eugland with such success that he shortly afterwards started a second, and has now a third, all running successfully. There is nothing m the circumstances to prevent any capable agent ot ours from supplying 500 such stores, and even these would not exhaust a tithe of the field." We think that Mr Douglas is entirely right m these views, and that the sooner he and others interested m this important export take means to carry them into practical effect the better it will be for themselves and the colony at large. *