THE MEAT CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 8

THE MEAT CONFERENCE

INTERESTING INTERVIEW: : SMALL consignments:NO■^J:SE•. : l V , (By -Telegraph.—Special ■ Correspondent.): ~ ; ;.,..-; :Wanganui, February .17. ■/ Mr.. A. Burnetti-who ■■ represented the Wav nganiii Agricultural' Association, at'.-.the recent 'Frozen 'Meat Conference;- in .the; course of .an interesting. interview '. had the'foHowing.to say regarding: small consignments: of ■ meat:'—",. .".';-">'.,',._■.. v.j, ."Small' cqnsignmonts;_are' a- menace'-, to the,trade, as a whole.'-'.ln,delivery from' the ship's side barges,:and t :trucks ing for- these small 'lots • get ■ little at a time, and then have to'wait-some, time for. another, small lot. Meanwhile the meat is .'perhaps, being; shifted' on to the deck, and then back to the'hold'arid sb:. on, the,'rosult" being '•.hat, '.frequently,' shanks are broken, '.covefirigs; torn; and often n..'slight;thaw sets in:' ".These bring on. insurance 'claims against companies, and so long: as this state of •".'■affairs continues, the insurance": premium .will' necessarily be high. "r:"The" pooling .of these small consignments would ; be ,in- the-' best interests,of the. trade. :In.dealing with : meat in small quantities l one might, instance such, a <case as-where'a man would' send' in perhaps' 200. sheep:' A companymight have 'to. make -eight, : little. grades of - that -. in eat,. this . meaning ; : time' and money. 1 ■ -.'lf .these small •consignments were pooled -they could':.be:'graded ac-. cording''to..quality and an: account' kept bf:thc:numter'. of 'pounds' bf'each' 'quality,.: thus; doing; away:, :with : so, much' handling,. and the meat would ■.command a' better price as'larger lines-invariably-do.-, •'• • ' ',''•', :• ".■;' ■ i •."■■■ ■-.'•;• ' ;

"From the start- of the conference,"' said ; Jlr. Burnett,.' "it seemed that the farmers', -representatives."felt;that: they, had .a grievance., against, the'; companies. As.the'conference went on';, however; they that the. freezing companies were doing more, for '.them' than, they had thought—especially the buying companies. Regarding selling'in England' farmers were-of.-opinion that-the' com-', panies were, not making'the best'of' thesituation, but when - onp; considered that tho guying" companies pay 'cash: at'-.the.' farmers'- yards,' it 'is absurd.to assert that; they. are,-not 'trying to make the besf of it:, at.' the.. other; end.;, The .discussion, however, served to -prove. ..that, although the method followed was. not always the most '■ advantageous, still the', company's intention was': always for" the test": .'■,'.'■:!>''' ".'■ •' '■'"." :'■' ' ■'■'■ "'■■'" r