MEAT TRADE WITH AMERICA.
SHIPPING ACCOMMODATION CRITICISED.
(ePECUi TO "THE *BBSS.") SAN FRANCISCO, October 27. Strong complaints are being made at San Francisco, the metropolis of the Western States of America, that the importation of Australian meat to America, of which San Francisco is headquarters, is seriously impeded by the paucity of steamships to transport the product across the Pacific Ocean. New Zealand is blamed for being the cause of restricting the importation of Australian meat to San Francisco. Mr Frank E. Booth, of San Francisco, the president of the colossal Monterey Packing; Company of California, who is the largest American importer of Australian meat, says "whilst ho has been overwhelmed with huge orders for the Australian product, he has found himself almost helpless in view of the limited number and accommodation of steamships plying between the Antipodes and California. Discussing the subject with a San Francisco correspondent, Mr Booth said: "The New Zealand Government are subsidising the Union Steam Ship Company's line, and the Government has the nrst call on the steamship space. This is the time of tho year when America is drawing on New Zealand for butter, and quite naturally they are exercising their option to take the space, to the exclusion of all tho Australian products. It is a very serious condition of affairs for the Australian shippers, because the New Zealand man lias all the letter of it, and the Australian is not on a parity with him. While the importation or meat should be a twelve months' business proposition, tho dealing in butter is never more than three or four months. During those four months, when the New Zaalanders have tho call on space, the Australian commercial exporters to America simply have to stand still, and they cannot turn a wheel. That obstacle ui)ssts the importation of meat. 'There are" two Hues of steamships connecting San Francisco and the Antipodes, and having cold storage space. One is the Union Line, which is subsidised, and tho other is tho Oceanic, tho latter having a very limited storage capacity. Ihe Oceanic is under contract to suppiy the contractors who are meeting tho Honolulu meat requirements, and tho United States Government has a large standing meat contract for the .American soldiers stationed in the Hawaiian Islands. "If tho New Zealand Government require all the space in the steamers, and whilo occasionally there is some space allotted to San Francisco on tho Oceanic Line, it is simply because the Government does not want it all. That is not a business proposition by any means. It is too erratic and too uncertain.' , Air Booth says ho has established a :-liaiii of distributing centres from San Diego to Seattle on the west, and as far east ns Minnesota. From these centres the imported Australian meat and New Zealand butter will bo distributed. With' a contemplated reduction in freight rates the Booth concern expect to extend their territory to Chicago and New York, and contend vrith Argentino (competition. Mr Booth remarked that tho United States Government had reported 30 per cent, less cattle now in America compared with five years ago, and tho population liad increased 11 per cent., making a spread of 41 per cent. Stock had decreased 30 per cent, and meat had ilonbled in price since 1908, through the cattle shortage in the United States. Australia and New Zealand might have increased their herds to three times the present numerical strength. It was tho most wonderful opportunity the Antipodes had ever had, and should stimulate immigration. ' /' "Travellers have told mc," said President Booth, "that in New Zealand 400 "dollars (£80) an acre is paid frequently for land suitable for. pasturing dairy cattle. That being the case, no cheap butter can be expected from that source. . One could never expect a jarge volume of butter from such a country, where prices are so high. As it is, New Zealand and Australian butter is reaching San Francisco in largo quantities. After twenty-five years' experience in handling the highest grade American butter, I can truthfully pronounce the quality of, the New Zealand and Australian butter os perfectly satisfactory. Of course, I refer to butter having no preservative other than salt. The American Government will not permit any butter to land in the United States with preservatives other than salt. Boric acid is added for. the London "trade from the Antipodes, but when some of it reached San Francisco last year it had to be sent to Vancouver, as tho United States Government officials refused to'pass it." Mr . Booth suggests that a fleet of steamers should be placed on the run to San Francisco from the Antipodes, to carry meat and butter. To provide return cargoes from California ho recommends fostering mutual trading, whereby California might export, in addition to fruit, 300 tons monthly of frozen fresh fish and vast quantities of miscellaneous produce for New Zealand and Australia during their off season, which alternates with that of California. Reciprocal trading he declares, would materially benefit both continents. ' " •
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Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14834, 27 November 1913, Page 5
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836MEAT TRADE WITH AMERICA. Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14834, 27 November 1913, Page 5
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