N.Z. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14975, 23 May 1914, Page 2

N.Z. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

FIBST MEAT SELLS BEADILT PROSPECTIVE EGG MARKET. I (from a correspondent.) SAX FRANCISCO, April 29. Increased activity is being witnessed at San Francisco, where New Zealand is making a bold bid to enlarge her channels of trade. This Antipodean determination to co-operate with the Pacific Coast in the interchange of commodities has met with striking success in tho case of the arrival of the first shipment of New Zealand meat in California, which was unloaded from the Tahiti at San Francisco. The consignment from Wellington consisted of 500 quarters of beef and 94 calves. Directly the new importation was placed on the market, the satisfactory manner in which it had been prepared,, and its high-class quality instantly commanded high prices, and these were readily forthcoming. Mr Edmund Clifton, of Wellington. New Zealand's Trade Commissioner for Canada, and the United States, and who is also the Panama Pacific Exposition official representative of New Zealand, said that competent judges on the Pacific Coast hnd testified to the superiority at the New Zealand meat over American varieties. ''New Zealand beef/ , said Mr Clifton, -'is grass fattened, the same as the' Australian beef aivd it is usually even in quality, The beef stock cattle of New Zealand nvu almost always Shorthorn. Polled Angus, or Hereford, .by far the greater number being the former two varieties, or a crossbred between the two. It is not, however, likely that New Zealand really expects to send any great quantity of beef to the American market." The country more suitable for fattening cattle is now in the occupation of the dairy, farmer. The price of beef in | New Zealand is fairly high also. In the' South Island, at the end of February last, the prices quoted for fat heel' were 30s a hundred pounds, or about "J cents a lb. Although that is the .standard price, there is' every indication that thnt figure will soon be advanced. New Zealand's enterprise for the American» market would be somewhat in the direction of mutton

and lamb, rather than beef. It is quite certain that there is no country that can ..compote with Sew Zealand in either of these meats. The Canterbury laml> and mutton have a standard value throughout the world, and Americans freely admit that fact. New Zealand produces the best meat in the world is a. truism the .Wellington Chamber of Commerce was recently told by an eminent authority., Prices are going up as rapidly in New Zealand as they are in the Li.ited States, and there is no big margin of profit. New Zealand may rest assured that no matter what the price of beef may be, there will always be a considerable quantity of high-class lamb and mutton to come to America." The prices will'not be low. but the quality will be unapproachable, and that is all the more reason why New Zealand lamb and mutton would be acceptable oh the markets of the Pacific Coast. -•■Judged from'the standpoint of quality, there is no comparison" Letweenthe New Zealand and local meat, for the imported article is all round superior, and that is due undoubtedly to the circumstance that the seasons of New Zealand are more equable and the rainfall is well distributed. The stock there thrives throughout all the seasons of the year, in America there would bo apparently an alteration of. feast and famine extremes, in farmers' parlance known as Ihe alternation from the flush of food to its scarcity,' and thus affecting stock by its inequalities. ■ ... ' . " .'

"It is very doubtful, too. if the same 'attention to the breed of the stock has been .extended- to the breed of sheep in America. For many years past New-Zealand has closely observed that practice with the greatest carefulness. As an instance of this drawback in the United States a New Zealander is struck by fche-■' length ' or" ' shankiness .of the leg of the American sheep. This is coii.spic.nbus in the eye s of those who have; been accustomed to the stock bred specially for export from the countries of 'the Sou.them Hemisphere, where such &. L condition would immediately rolegate'such stock to a lower grade tiian that accepted as "firsts" for export 1 . There;, is.-too much actual waste for the purchaser of American legs of lamb. The short, thick leg is accepted not only/is providing the greater qauntity of moat but as'being of, the highest quality In California the long shank is the" rule. The general aspect for imported meat $n America is that it has a. great future, providing that the Erice does not increase. There will o a good prospect for beef from either New Zealand or Australia, but to New Zealand beef will not •bo of such first importance as will lamb and 'mutton,'which.hold tlie tastes of the average Amcricau. food expert. Lamb and mutton from New Zealand is assured of appreciation on the CaKfornian market. It cannot fair to be as highly thought of as it is in the most hypercritical market in the -world, that of Great Britain, and'there New Zealand lamb is accepted as of the highest; quality, -whilst the price' approximates that of home-grown stock:" "IMPORTATION-OF EGGS.. Another branch of the industry of the New Zealand farmer is. being directed to California, that of egg importation. Americans consume millions of eggs annually, and are probably greater patrons of "hen fruit" than any other nation. Scarce or plentiful, the average American always has a plenitude of eggs on his table. Mr Clifton, who is auxious to develop trading with Ken- Zeafand, says enquiries have reached him from New Zealand with the object of placing New Zealand eggs on the American ma-ket. He lias reviewed the situation, and considers that prospects for trade may be accepted as encouraging. "The New Zealander," he says, "is paying greater attention to this.profitable branch of rural farming. It must, however, be - some years before trade importation can attain very great dimensions. A curious instance in the e : <ig. may bo noticed in the ap- j preciation of the different coloured. | eggs. Th America the white one.appears to be in greater favour or demand. In New Zealand the higher price -would bo paid for. tho darker or brown egg. It is believed . that the brown egg in America once received the greater favour,, but as it was unfortunately recognised that a little careful manipulation change! the white egg into a brown-shelled Variety the consumer preferred to purchase the untouched article.

"It is recognised that in the northern parts of the Pacific Coast there have arrived during the List few months over 12,000,000 egss from that enterprising country of China. It is claimed that in appearance and quality these eggs from the Orient are competing successfully with those from any other part of the world. They may be very featly. flavoured through ' the extraordinary environments of the hens on river-boats on the rivers of China "On Febrnary 24th in Sew Zealand eggs were quoted at 34 cents a dozen, whilst the best eggs now selling in San Francisco are on i£e market at 22 cents a dozen. As the seasons, however, are opposite, the proposed importation of eeqs from.Xew Zealand should reach California in October, November, December, and January, for

the prices then range up to 65 cente a dozen for fresh . eggs. At another period of tho year New Zealand could not- profitably export "eggs to the Pacific Coast" markets, which, outside the months mentioned, would, probably be glutted with those of local production."