FROZEN-MEAT TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1725, 16 April 1913, Page 10

FROZEN-MEAT TRADE.

' - N.Zi .PRODUCE IN LONDON. /Replying in tho soiitTtvto Mr. R-. B. Bennett's criticisms cf his remarks in reference, to tho handling of New Zealand .produce in London, ilr. W. D. Lysnar, •of Uisborne; stated that Mr. Bennett was labouring under groat misapprehensions „in tliij jnlatfrt, 'and apparently did not I possess tv complefo knowledgo of the actual 'conditi&iis 'that existed in London. The New Zealand producer was tho man -who-was most concerned, and ho had been loqd: in; his, complaints for years past rc- . gardirig • the' persistent claims for damage that' Were made against his produce, • so; much so that at tlio conference which was held at Christchurch about two years ago, and, at which Mr. Bennett was present, specific- information was then 'giveii...that...every consignment of meat ' from the Dominion to London was tagged •as damaged, ' j ■ ' A report made by Mr. Lysnar on this . ;mattor in .London in September, 1910, . stated"Ji'or some time past expressions of', dissatisfaction have been made by , tho producers from all parts, of the Dominion' lof New Zealand regarding the ; low prices realised for our meat, and tho • sales of meat sold in London for a considerable time past show that 'practically every consignment, without exception. is..tagged as damaged. In a number of cases account sales taken as ;they came,:from the different shipments different ports of the Do'niiiiion .of New Zealand, showed that "every'"shipment, was damaged, the lowest being' 5i(S per cent, and the highest 20 .'.per .cent,...and .it would be it fair statement to "say. that the average damage 1 to''!dll iiicat imported into London from 'New. Zeala'nd;is;about 10 to ]g per cent." This statement was verified, and con-, firme'd'-by,' 'the' -'New Zealand committee aftei: .tlio, report had been submitted to all the leading . meat - agents of London '(including' Messrs. H. S. Fitter and Sons, -who' wero MT. Bennett's principals), and .not'.one*- of -'them questioned the statement'"lt waS'strange that Messrs. Fitter ■and Sons--representative, in New Zealand express a contrary opinion. • ■ The Now Zealand producers had a sharp awakening in 1 this respect by the fact jjthat thq ;'insurance premiums were being .raised because, of the increasing -claims-' fur ' damago at thp London premiums were raised until r they were over ,£3 per cent. " 'Kegarding' MiC Bennett's statement concerning "the;'-barges, Sir. Lysnar stated -tli'a't--it .was-'quite evident that Mr. Ben-Vnett;ifas'-ji<jt-posted with. the true condition of things-in London when he'said '.that,jio.bavges, had drifted up tho Thames ,a,t.least, fifteen-years, that tlieywero conveyed' t>y. ' tugs, that they left the Vessel's side " every night whether fully loaded or not, and that- less than a couple of .'liours sufiiced to bring them to their .destination. ,Hp,-referral to the published report of ihb New-Zealand Committee, wuich'"was "widely circulated in 1910, <where it was stated that- barges drifted "Uip witfi, tho tide and occupied about eight ,lipyr;} ;ii,v; making. the trip. This statement was not contradicted at the time by Messrs. Fitter and Sons, and the com-' 'niittee' ' was , on' the spot in London to • proro it; if- it .-should be questioned. :-J In' November "• Mr. ; Lysnar accompanied 'the "Hori/'KIV Mackenzie on a visit to/the ''Ijbnd6n ;v docksi ''' A bargeman who was loading New Zealand meat was asked Whtfnyie had „ started to load, and he stated- that lie had started tho previous :dily,"when three hundred carcasses wcro taken on board. Ho said he hoped to gtt the barge loaded by the evening of tho second day, and it would drift up that night ,by the tide nnd .be unloaded the ,followin^^day r ."''liiquirie9 were mado agh'in day,'and it-was ascer.'tained' that' the- bargo would not be up 1 until"£h'Al .'ttfteVnooni and it would have to tito "its Horn to bo discharged after ten 'ot'lotk""t'hTatnight". In 'that instance ' the'meat'would bp in tho barge at least ■three days and two nights. ; If: Mr. "Bennett questioned the statei inputs niaae;i. concluded Mr. Lysnar, 110 . .should .communicate with the High Comf :inissigner£ and no doubt would rcceivo : information 1 on. tho subjcct.