The Feilding Star. Published Daily. MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1894. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE OUTLOOK.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 301, 30 April 1894, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Published Daily. MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1894. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE OUTLOOK.

There is considerable and anxious speculation throughout New Zealand just now, as to the future of the colony's frozen meat trade. The Argentine, we are told is increasing her export of meat enormously, while Australia, with wide open eyes at the results achieved by this colony, is loudly declaring that she is now going in to take the first place in the trade. This latter is mere bluster ; the past season in Australia has been one of the wettest on record, and with a superabundance of fat sheep in consequence, and no markets, many of her people are led to think that her best interests have been neglected in the past, in not having sufficient freezing facilities supplied. Australia has tried meat freezing on its merits long since, and the measure of success attained in the past is a pretty correct guage of what the future will be. Ordinary seasons there are seasons of drought in the sheep districts, when, frequently, there is no surplus for export over large areas, and the number of fat stock is little more than sufficient for Home requirements. Owing to the configuration of the country tco, the great stock districts are all in the interior, wVich necessitates driving or railing the sheep long distances. Moreover, the country, of necessity, has to be held in large tracts, and is incapable in the main of being laid down in grass or permanently improved. The English grasses will not stand the droughts of the great inland plains. Contrast this with the totally different state of things in this country. Here there are no droughts; sheep can be fattened all the year round pretty well, and almost every flock is within sound of the sea, and the country will take on permanent and luxuriant pastures. Past results have also proved that our meat is much superior to the Australian. This the breeders there have to admit, but they say that it is because they have not had the proper breed of sheep, which is not wholly correct, for in Gippsland which has the most temperate and moist climate in Australia, they have nearly all the various long wools. The Australians are among the most enterprising of people, and there is not the slightest doubt but that they have done every thing possible to make the freezing a success. The present talk is likely to end so ; we have no fear of Australian competition in the frozen meat trade. As for the Argentine, no doubt, while the large tracts of rich virgin grasses last, an immense number of fat stock will be the result, but from the opinions expressed by those who have seen the country, its fattening qualities will rapidly deteriorate with stocking. A few years stock carrying, and then follows agriculture, that is the usual order of things. Neither the Argentine nor Australia are going to monopolise the freezing trade of the world ; a fair share will always fall to New Zealand, and as the market has gone on steadily opening up, co will it continue. We can pro duce a really first-class article, and a first-class article of daily food consumption, whether it be mutton or butter or anything else, will always command a payable price in these days of increasing transit facilities, and cheapening freights.