OPENING FOR PORK

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1934, Page 14

OPENING FOR PORK

CHILLED BEEF PROSPECTS

"Evening Post," January 25.

New Zealand lamb has pride of place in the British meat' market, but there is room for more trade in New Zealand meat, especially pork,'according to Mr. P. Maclean.'manager of the National Bank of New Zealand at Hastings, who has.just returned from England. During his stay in, London at the head' office of the National 3ank Mr. Maclean gave close attention to/-matters relating to the reception, display, and distribution of this Dominion's meat and dairy produce. He made personal- contacts * with - authorities in Smithfield'as. to meat, and Tooley' Street as' to butter and cheese.. ; :

"Leading people in- Smithfield (he-.said. in an "interview given'to a representative of "The Post") assured me that New Zealand mutton and lamb were the finest ' products of their kiud procurable, and, further, the head of a Smithfield firm told me .that :N,ew Zealand pork—if properly treated, iin1 the thawing process "prior to spoking—jwas- equal, in quality and condition^tp' thfe finest home;grown^pork, and it .should command' a« relatively good a pricel ::.!' v *.■'■•' ■ : • > ■'A«f to 'beef, Mf. Maclean said he had ' carefully studied. the appearance of the meat;afc it.was displayed on the hooks in Smjthfield, .especially as he was particularly interested in'the experiments being made to send" chilled beef from New Zealand': to the United Kingdom. The initial efforts ;to establish this trade he was pleasedl' to 'hear' in London' .were quite satisfactory to importers at Home; but i^ !*ftg :tfecessary to strongly, impress New Zealand growers that they, .'should' ship a more even carcass, and also that the beef ioi "shipped should be young. ,i.''lt "was quite' evident' to me," he said, "yrtitn- looking' into the matter in Sinithfield'market that we •in New Zealand as w^ljKa's producers in Australia have still a.JH r to learn,from the Argentine in the manner of,putting beef into.the market ■tKii jWill'be. as attractive in appearance as beelfiifro'm' the Argentine. So 'much was .obvloiig in Smithfield to even ■'the layman, seeing beef from New 'Zealand and' beef frpnr South America1 hanging in .the stalls quarter, by quarter. It appeared to me that ,if we in t New. Zealand hoped to build up a chilled beef trade, we must have the right kind'of stock' for'such a trade, and not expect to succeed by sending meat from miscellaneous . herds of cattle. Even lines are absolutely essential, I was informed, if we are to secure and maintain a high position in the London chilled beef trade. "We have to remember that 10,000 tons of meat passes through the Smithfield markets daily.. "With respect' to dairy produce,.,, although I discussed, New Zealand's position with some .authorities, as I have said, I' Was. not able to give it the close attention that I would have liked and that the subject deserved. But I did hear something about , blending butter, and was credibly informed'that very little New Zealand butter ffas used for that purpose, not enough at any rate to make any difference to the market price. I was also informed that' qur New Zealand butter, notwithstanding .its. other excellent qualities, was1 difficult1 to spread, and that being iso ( it."tor.c" the bread when spreading and■ on'economical grounds Danish which Jidj spread well, was preferred by niany risers'- even "thought it did cost a little', more; than New Zealand."