OUR MEAT CHANGES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 948, 15 October 1910, Page 6

OUR MEAT CHANGES.

IN MAfIKETS NEW TO US. ' PRIME MINISTER SPEAKS. (By. Telegraph.—Press Association.) Ghristchurch, October 14. The recent agitations in some European countries, notably in Austria, for the removal of restrictions upon the importation of frozen meat, were mentioned by a newspaper representative to-day to the Prime Minister who was asked if the representatives at Home of the Dominion's, interests have made any move in the direction of ensuring that; if these restrictions are removed, their removal shall apply also to New Zealand frozen products. Austria and the Continent. Sir Joseph Ward replied that the Dominion's High Commissioner bad been requested to attend a conference, at Vienna with a view to ascertaining ■ what could be done to assist the New Zealand frozen meat export:-trade. No. report, however, had been received yet as. to the outcome of the conference, but he expected before long to have cabled; advice from the High Commissioner upon the material points agreed to, and also upon the- question of the prospects of getting New Zealand frozen meat into some of the European countries. " ' "It would be a great advantage," Sir Joseph continued, "if we got'such . a market,",in addition to the invaluable one which we possess in the Old Country. One thing is quite certain, and that is that, if any .Continental/market is opened to outside, countries, it will be assuredly open, to' New Zealand, if from no other standpoint than the general recognition of the fact that our , mutton is unsurpassed, in quality : , by mutton : of any other country. ; Chances In the States, ■ "I am also very hopeful, that wo will be . able to get. the communities on the Pacific Coast of the United States by ■the aid. of the two . steamers fitted-with refrigerating chambers—the' Aorangi and the Maitai—which are to run between New Zealand and San Francisco. The' Aorangi initiates the service', and is announced to leave Wellington on October. 19. Judging from; the prices ruling on the West Coast of the United States; and:, on', the; Continent •of Europe,,: . there .'''''-is;.V':a considerable' margin that might admit- of trade from Now Zealand being done upon profitable lines. I do not shut my eyes to the fact that siich trado cannot: be, done., hurriedly;, Necessarily', those interested, in ,-tho -frozen-meat trade • in the. Dominion will 1 have to satisfy themselves that - theycan; effect, c.i.f sales, orVthat the"risk'is;.not too great, to prevent .--them .attempting .to work up ■ a trade- on the cvnsignment basis. ; However, I: am ' quite satisfied: that .the enterprise'of those in New Zealand interested ,in its.frozen produce, ■whether meat, butter, or. cheese,, will/ as. they have done in the past; do the' necessary'preliminary work- to, .satisfy themselves as to the projects of a re-, munerative trade." ■■'■.: ■ "-' Influence of tho Meat Trust. Asked if tho operations 'of tho American Meat Trust would not 'militate against tho establishment, of a .frozen between New Zealand and the west , coast of-America, Sir Joseph remarked that, owing to the increase of- ' tho population of ; the" United States, the Irust was, compelled, to a veryjlargo extent, to devote its; energies to tho supply ,;of meat for home corisumptioik Consequently. working ,iip of an port trade. which, some • years ago, was a ; great element in helping the Trust' to maintain reasonable. prices, in the States, was .suspended: Information at. his disposal "was to„ the: - effect-, that high prices are ruling for meat on the west coast of America—a state of things 1 which. was.' probably accentuated by artificial means in; the form , of opera-tion-s • of. Trusts, lie -doubted;': however,;, whether it would bo worth while o-n the,part of: the ;Meat* Trust ,'to' apply their, methods' against New Zealand pro-, duce, as -the quantity of such produce that ■ Zealand . can' send. would, : at ! most, be' :a drop' in 'the' bucket cornered with the consuming capacity ,of the population to bo. supplied. - At all events, the service established' between the two countries, would give New Zealand producers- an. opportunity to test the market, and he could only hope hat they would avail themselves of- it,' and fjive this, new market,' a'.thoroughly'. effective trial.