MEAT MARKET SLUMP.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 8

MEAT MARKET SLUMP.

SOME REFLECTIONS. . Had sheep-farmers been disposed to sell their, meatnast .yeaß to london -buyers in the Dbmimbn',vthey,.would,', in.; tho opin.ibn;:.6f,'Mr.'il\!Vde'!C.'Mallet,''.chairman ,'of. ,the;.,Christchtirch'.'''Meat' Company, have' been; ablb to, place,, most of .their outputs at ;4atisfactpry", rates. ;. Reviewing' the posi-.:,ttort..-iii^.his;4iiiniMil."l .Malet said it. "Whilst r one'( cannot but; regret' tho unfortunate'J-results '(that ..'attended' the -shipments ,or-lamb last,season oil growers' nccount;"lit.Av6uld. be.(w'eil nto" remember ; thfit'(tlib LohdonCineat; buyers during: the; major.;- portion season-;- were ' quite read j; to purchase' forward' in - tho colony ;at- .. prices,', quite remunerative .to the grower, aiid which, where, accepted, netted, to producers-.well up to'("the average' of/recent years for-their.surplus stock.

V-"As you aro'niraware,' this:c'6mpany.is at all times a purchaser; and although viry'large' purchase:, wera mado by the company as', usual; last;, season,,it is notey worthy: • ; that'; orders;; for- .approximately, one million carcasses at good .rates were of . necessity "declined "by ..the ". manage--:m'eht," "as'.'iu-av very'large -proportion;of cases growers preferredto risk' shipping :on''their (own; account;to 'accepting; what wa'S ('a (• certainty .rind",/was .'further ; good remunerative value.;- Judging from our own ' -esporienco,;' therefore, ■ I ' think. it ■is notltoo. much to:assume that.by far, the greaterportioii'ofy; tho-; output of. the factory.; rates,,had;;'.:that position ' been Vmore -generally ■ appreciated at the ; tim6*:theve - would;!. am. sure; have', been a , much in 'i^^V;.to''rtte-"'tomT)\. : B««Bd£V6f -1900 for both . the,';: Now;; Zealand -producer and' those Connected i';with.\ *the .-distributing business': in : .',th'e', r -United : ;'Kingdom. I mention!('this;'particular;([aspept of the , position, during, tlie' past'-'year", as- from many, quarters • .recently.., there ;has emanated niuchsevcreand.if I may say so, (somewhat. unjust';'criticism' levelled, at- tho tactiqs ;of.;tho: Home, firms. engaged in the distribution of-our meat throughout the .United",;Kingdbm.;;/I.,,ain.;:.confident .that with ;a.fuUerv.lmo^ledge-of; the.'business many-: ofi. the critics-(would-Sodify!'thoir view 3, . 'and.;,also, :-I '.trust,"'thcirstatements" ,