FROZEN MEAT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11493, 28 January 1903, Page 5

FROZEN MEAT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —So many have written on the abuses and mismanagement in the handling of New Zealand frozen meat in the English markets that it svems hardly necessary to point them out again, but as no one lias shown a eatisfactoiy remedy I venture to again draw , attention to the matter. At present consignments which are sent through so many agents are distributed amongst a large number of salesmen in the 'Sm-ithfield market, who, in too many cases, are themselves large buyers c.i.f., and therefore often prefer a fluctuating markt4. that they may buy at a low and' sell on a liigh one. Canterbul-y farmers, if they will take the trouble to think for themselves, must see that by placing their consfgnments in so many hands they are helping to lower the average price of their own produce, as weak or interested holders (especially when the market is in over-supply) may force the meat on the market.

Mr Thomas, when in, England, saw the necessity of some improvement (as everyone else must do t except, of course , , those interested in tOie present mismanagement), and proposed in a- letter in the Christchurch papers some time back the formation of a large buying company, but this, although .better than the present state of affairs, did not seem to suit .tijie farmers' ideas, aa I presume tliey feared such a company might eventually be a too powerful monopoly. Canterbury lamT> and mutton are the most sought after in the .English frozen meat market, and with careful grading are, 1 .think, likely to remain so. Farmers, I think, may expect that the average price of frozen meat will not fall for many years. ivy reason. for making this statement is that I find the average retail price of meat in has ■been for years on the increase, and nothing appears to point to a decrease, but rather with a growing population all over Europe and North America, there is room for all our meat, and that from the Argentine also.

The extreme fluctuations in Canterbury meat, which, after all, is only a limited supply, could be greatly avoided if the farmers would work more together for their own interests ; and I venture to say the Americans would long ago have formed a trust that should have increased the price at least, by id per lb by better regulating the supply. I propose, rather, that the farmers should agree to send their , meat through one agency on their own account; that every consignment should be graded as it is at present, 'but after that the shipments ehould he treated in bulk, each farmer receiving the proceeds of his meat after its sate less expenses in proportion to the weight and grades of his consignment. Many fanners who go to the trouble of breeding only the best stock may juetly object to thris* plan by saying they would not send their better animals to be sold the same as any nondescript. To meet thie 1 would propose the consignments being divided into at least two .grades, extra prime and .prime. Fanners are too inclined to thfnk their own stock are 'better thiui others', but butchers say when on the hooks the difference is not so marked, and I believe that two grades would be sufficient. This, however, is a mere matter of detail, the chief point being that by avoiding the large number of brands the 'handling and storage charges would Le considerably reduced, and by concentrating the consignments one agency could see that it was not unnecessarily forced <.v the market, and thai the meat was distributed throughout En-gland far better than at present,' and abo many of the abuses now existing could be better seen to and prevented. Farmers very rarely will -work together, and I am afraid they -will be just as obstinate Jis usual in this case, and find all wrts of "obstacles. When everyone who returns from England has the same tale of an improvement being required in the disposal of frozen meat, there must be something in jit, and it is only by working together trwt a radical change- can be made. ° Frozen n*eat is the chief source of profit, and has teen the chief cause of t)he rise in value of land and prosperity in New Zealand. and I feel sure, if farmers -will fall in with mv idea, they will still further enrich themselves. —Yours, £DGAR JONES. MouPt Nesshjg.