Correspondence.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 289, 12 June 1896, Page 2

Correspondence.

"COLONIAL C6 IOPERATION Itf THE FROZEN^fdEAT INDUSTRY. TO THE EDITOB OP THB BTAIU -■ *-p- ..Sv^f Sir,— Again, I need bardlv^reociindyV/:; you of the numerous large manufacturing towns within s radius, o£ -thirty v' miles from Liverpool ; see no^easUjr River Plate importers can wrre^the ; butchers in them, and what a saving to the last named ia getting their meat from Liverpool instead of from London as formerly, to say nothing of the shorter rai Iway journey^ f ancTiiKe^ lees knocking about the nie»t would get. These same remarks apply equally to the other centres where ' there is cool storage.' "Now ■'"iet^;^ .*.":■ turn to New Zealand shipments. Every cargo goes to London till that market is literally glutted, and storage room can hardly be found for meat that arrives. Meanwhile sales are being pushed forward throughout the country so as to keep pace with the Argentine shippers, but mark the disadvantage. Every carcase has to be railed from London which, iasT said before, entails heavy expense and; : loss, and I believe indirectly the shipper will have to bear this in- the lower . prices obtaiued for his meat, for though I cannot remember all the railway freights to northern and midland towns, I know they vary from .in?'; eighth of a penny to a farthing per lb according to the distance. A few years ago this did not perhaps matter so much, as New Zealand mutton was infinitely superior to that f rora tbef Plate, but now things are altered ahdf -V by perseverance and sparing no pains to improve the breed of their sheep, Argentine meat shippers are- reaping their reward, and are, moreover, becoming uncomfortable rivals for New Zealand shippers. It is hardly necessary to enlarge-further upon the subr; jectof cold storage, and even though shippers from this colony might have to contest the ground keenly, with" their opponents, I think that by sending cargoes o£ well-selected suitable mutton, using every care and sparing^ no pains to push the trade, tfjpy; should hold their own well in the centres referred to. lam not greatly ; in favor of opening retail shops for the ■ sale of meat for reasons that space " does not permit me to enter upon, but* still if done cautiously and under the ,' combination scheme I have suggested, it might answer very well. What I>s am very anxious to see done, however, • is retail shops opened for the sale of __ New Zealand dairy produce in various f- , parts of London and throughout other t large towns in England, and believe, if properly worked, the results would be roost encouraging. In conclusion/ let me point out that although what I have stated in this letter looks impossible of accomplishment at first sight, . if carefully thought over and discussed, th£re is really nothing very difficult in it, at least from my point of view, for/ it is simply transferring to one joints body a business that is scattered throughout so many different agents' hands. I admit that if all the farm 1 - , ers' associations of the colony— and they collectively represent the farming interest of it — were not unanimous 1 * about co-operation then the scheme would be a failure, so that the matter r is really in their own hands. Al- J though I have no intention of discus-*, sing it in this letter, I think that at no distant date the various farmers' associations of the colony will have a chance given them ' of belonging to a Farmers' Agency Association in Lon* & don for the disposal of produce at Home, as by recent advice* I bad from' Home I understand that such a com- . pany is projected and < the capital guaranteed, Not having particulars I refrain from saying more except that I believe farmers will be asked through their associations to become members,., and if sufficient support is given, the company will be duly floated. Leaving', , it in your hands to publish this letter » if you see fit, and apologising for the f length of it, I am, etc., Fred. A. Furlongs. Hawera, June 6th, 1896.