FINANCE AND COMMERCE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 4 December 1930, Page 12

FINANCE AND COMMERCE.

FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

THE WINTER MARKETS. RAPID FREEZING. (TXM OUK spbciax. eoussfoNMKJ.) .LONDON, October 30. AH things considered, the meat trade of Great Britain has to congratulate iteelf; this year on a maintenance of business and the survival of a moderately iigh level of price that could hardly have; been, thought possible under ruling • conditions, for with the general . trade depression prevalent in this country—and, indeed, in Others—this year there has been combined a surplus of meat supply from extraneous sources which might well'have embarrassed the biggest of ' markets. But the 45 millions of Britons, Baany of them dole-supported, it is true, have continued to provide a consuming market of almost inexhaustible. capacity at-a. price levsl still' about fifty, per cent, above pre-war. values. New Zealand meat, too, has had a wonderful rim-at top values this year, and has contributed no. less.than five and a quarter million carcases out of the eleven million carcases of imported lamb • and-mjitton - w : bich_ have been' absorbed without undueimacket disturbance in the first :,i}ix nioaths of;• 1930—an : excess of two and a quarter million carcases as compared- with last year. • The present position is that, the large : public cold stores which, three months ago, were congested "with the. unusual tide of meat imports have; ; largely shed their surplus. s<> that it is safe to.say at the present, moment that there will be hardly: • moro than a negligible carryover at. the year end; this prospect freejnjj-the : ;marlc«ts of undue worries next .season. • .The lateness of the Australian lamb season thia-year has further assisted-New -Zealand meat sales. The 3000, carcase.' shipment due from the Commonwealth this, week is expected to-i»aice>a good-impression,-and it is realized that - Australia- is setting out to ;taic .a prominent place in ;the fat lamb trade. This is the time of year when heavy marketings off Home pastures compete the severest with imported supplies, but it is noted this year that, so far aslxmdon is eoncerned, the Central. Market no- longer is loaded witt those gluts of Scottish lambs which ■ by their abundance are sold as .low in price as.the frozen article. Instead of thigy the Some meat is more equitably distributed throughout the provinces, ■ which is a relief for the London markets. Smithfield, indeed, is the Mecca of all .meats from, both hemispheres, even IcaiancL- in the- frozen north contributing ■ its - This year, the-.lamb shipments from Iceland are limited to one r instead- of several cargoes, the shipment totalling rather less than 40,000 . -eareaaefc

Frozen Packaged Meats. Theineat trade of Britain is still thinking furiously over the new idea of marketing meat in the packaged _or cartoned fonn rinder the Tapid freezing process. ■ On. all sides one finds the spirit, of keen inquiry into the progress actually made. The bnlk of experiment j of course, been conducted in America, but it is known that British parties at both ends of the Empire are closely observing the latest developments with a view, to taking up the idea at the latest point achieved. One of England's largest catering houses is said to be- considering the purchase of -xapid-frQzen packaged meats for uni- • vassal distribution:, through its many hundred '.depotp, direct to the restaurant customer. The effect of such a step, once taken, would be great upon the pnbKe, as its educative tendency would • undoubtedly -do tnneh for the development.; "Meanwhile/only j one system of brine freezing ia being proceeded with experimentally in Great 1 • Btff&lxu : That is the "'process known as 6f fog freezing. This of the goods handled .. lemjefjtinre. brine spray, the . fiijeiy '4iVjffed "particles of brine, emit- • meats placed i on metal trays, , conveying the- .cold at - tot jtlie. .Commodities subjected; to their influence. A" recent small delegation of- the; actual treat- • aßßjttt of/several • classes- of eortonsd meataHbyja test -plant erected at FleetW6©dfc.iir Lancashire,; inclvided Lieut.Colonel T. Dunlop Young, jthe wellkit own/and popular chief' meat inspector for the City of London, and Captain 4 "R. " H." Hey wood, the Australian . yj&teiinsity. bfficer in London. These visitorjj' aiid others 'saw a Variety of ' meals, -including beef - cuts, mutton . chops, and .several classes of- offals, ; packetf treated" cardboard cartoiiii of ona/ivnd a, half inches depth, completely " rapid-frozen in. forty itiinu3;eß~unde.r."tKe spray • system. afl-'weli jas- varieties of . • ;w«i;elater cooked . And eaten by i the Attendant , witnesses, and declared tjO 'te of- first, class flavour, and totally - niiiijuredrby the. process through which ■ they had .passed. It is understood that the ii Z" process has already been installed in a number of places in Britain and on the ; Continent of Europe to' the owdei^-of. food'distributing concents, so that its' commercial merits" should, before long 1 ,, be- known. It seems that the . chief difficulties. lying before the complete commercial success of rapid-freezing-systems consist in the ■ difllgulty of keeping the gradually " rining temperature curve of the commodities between the time of their initial freezing and final sale to the sufficiently regular gradation. Any .BU.dden rise en route -necessitates yhich if it be not of the frozen" order undoes immediately, of coWrse, all the-good of - the former - -application s£. rapid refrigeration. Apparently,, tho --design of refrigerated disin which , rapid-frozen products" will have to be" held at the ..paint ;Of ; retail marketing has not yet been.perfected for- safe holding at such ..extremely.. low temperatures. But - engineers and scientists, are ■ hard at - work endeavouring to solve these prob- • lenuv-.and .their conquest cannot be far - off/.

IMPERIAL FRUIT SHOW. LORD BLEDISLOK'S PRIZE. • (TJ KITED PHESS ASSOCIATION—BY- BLECTBIC :v.:TELB GB . * ' .Who ,itop«rial Frmt~ Show, in addx..ttomio this /iasT .fpc : Hemi- ; -itf-.XfMidon on June JSnd f l9Si t offenn£- prizes -for 6ix varieties -of-dessert apples .and four culin- = Lard Bledisloe is giving a_challengo «u> fa# th« best New Zealand apples-

COUPON SYSTEM.

APPLICATION TO PRIMARY PRODUCTS. REQUEST FOR PROHIBITION. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, December 3. A request that the Government should prohibit the coupon system from being applied to primary products was made to the Minister for Industries and Commerce, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, by a deputation from the National Dairy Association. It was contended that the application of the system to butter was costing farmers a half-penny per lb, and this cost was aggravating the already serious plight of the farmer. In introducing the deputation, the Hon. J. B. Gow said the question was one of serious importance to the dairying industry. The president of the Association, Mr A. Morton, said they represented the whole of the dairy farmers of the North Island. Farmers had experienced a heavy fall in the price of their products, and the coupon was adding to their burdens, because it meant they had to make a concession to the system. The managing director of Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., Auckland, Mr William Goodfellow, said the coupon system only recently had been applied to the sale of butter in Wellington, and his company, which supplied one-third of the local market, would lose £16,000 because of it. The manager of one of tho chain stOTe companies in Wellington had told him it would cost his firm £25,000, or 2$ per cent, of the turnover, if it applied to all goods. That would mean that people who dealt at that company's stores would have to pay £25,000 more for their groceries. The system had been stopped in South Africa and Australia. In reply, Mr de la Perrelle said he realised the seriousness of the position, especially as there had been a big fali in prices on the overseas markets. Tomorrow he was to receive a deputation from the Chamber of Commerce protesting against universal coupons, and after hearing their views he would place the whole matter before Cabinet. He could see something must be done. Mr Goodfellow: Will you make a favourable recommendation to Cabinet? Mr de la Perrelle: I think something must be done. Mr Goodfellow: It is an abominably vicious thing. Mr de la Perrelle said he was ver.v sorry that farmers were suffering as a result of the system. Mr Morton: It affects the whole of the people. The Minister: Yes, there is no doubt it affects the whole country. GROCERS' CONDEMNATION. (PKI3S ASSOCIATION TELKGBA.iI.) WELLINGTON, December 3. Representatives of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and New Zealand Employers' Federation will wait upon the Minister for Internal Affairs to-morrow morning to protest against the coupon or prize-giving system. Members of the Wellington Master Grocers' Association are behind the Associated Chambers of Commerce and New Zealand Employers' Federation in any action they intend to take in the. direction of seeking a' discontinuance of the system. The Association has passed a resolution condemning the practice. "Wo consider that the system is a grossly unfair method of _ trading, said a member of the Association today. "We are absolutely against it, and are wholeheartedly behind any movement to suppress it. We cannot condemn the scheme too strongly.

FOREIGN IMPORTS. DECLINE AT LYTTELTON. Imports at Lyttelton from foreign ports in November this year were 10,353 tons, compared with 15,966 tons in November last year. The decrease is probably due, in a large measure, to the recent imposition of the higher duty on foreign goods. A decline in the number of foreign vessels visiting the port is also noted. The comparative as supplied to yesterday's meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, are as follows: Cargo Statistic!. IMPORTS. 1930. 1929. Tona. Tons. From British ports .. 7,941 8,489 From, foreign ports .• , 10,353 15,966 a From inter-col. port® . « 5,565 2,808 From coastal ports . . 11,673 13.279J 35,532 40,543 EXPORTS. 1930. 1929. Tone. Tons. To British ports •.« 2,901 3,041 To foreign ports - . 482 247$ To inter-col. port# »♦ 222 367 To coastal ports .» 17,031 13,655J 20,636 17,311 TRANSHIPMENTS. * 1930. 1929. ' Tons. Tons. Coastal to coastal >k ,, 12 17£ Overseas to coastal >«140 15 152 Z'Zh November Tonnage. The harbourmaster (Captain T. M. Hunter) reported that during November 125 trading vessels, aggregating 141,891 tons register, entered the port, as compared with 135 trading vessels, aggregating 160,283 tons, in November, 1929, as follows: 1930. 1929. Vessels. Tons. Vessels. Tons. Coastal .. 11l 79,636 116 78,065 Inter-col. 4 10,169 5 10,797 Foreign . . 10 52,086 14 71,421 125 141,891 135 160,283 BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) BUGBY, December 2. Mr William Graham, president of the Board of Trade, replying in the House of Commons to a question, stated that the British motor industry was pressing the development of business in the • overseas markets with very encouraging results, in the light of world depression. A comprehensive display of British motor products had been arranged for the British Empire Trade Exhibition at Buenos Ayres next year.

BANANAS FROM SAMOA. (PftBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, December 3. The motor-ship Maui Pomare arrived to-night from Apia and Niue 'lsland with passengers, and 7500 cases of Samoan bananas. The fruit is reported to be in good condition. The .trip from Nine was not a pleasant one, A 8 . the vessel had to contend with : strong south-easterly and southerly weather, with head seas. The ship's /engines gave no trouble throughout the round voyage.'