NEW ZEALAND MEAT TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 140, 24 June 1901, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND MEAT TRADE.

INTERVIEW AVITH MR AV. NELSON London, May 10. Ml' AVilliam Nelson, colonial manager of Messrs Nelson Bros., who arrived in England recently, has been expressing his views freely with reference to the position and possibilities of the New Zealand meat trade. His first point was the lack of continuity. “ Wo have nothing at all,” he said, “ in the shape of any attempt at keeping up the continuity of tho trade on the other side. All the sheepfarmer thinks about is to get rid of his sheep the moment he thinks he would like to get rid of them, and, however much we may talk to him, we cannot induce him to give a supply of mutton all through the year and allow something like a uniform trade to be con-

ducted. He reckons that it is our business to do the best sve can. The result is that ho pours in about four-fifths of his sheep within six months, causing a glut at one time, and an equally disastrous deficiency during the ensuing six months.” When invited'to suggest a remedy, Mr Nelson declared that there was no practical suggestion to be made. “ Sheepskins,” he remarked, “ might do a good deal to help us if they would only spread tho deliveries of shcop over a greater length of time. In many cases they cannot, but in many cases they can, but they won’t. In the North Island the bulk of our sheep are frozen within four months. Wo have a very intermittent

trade for another four, and no trade at all for the remaining four. The result is that freezing charges are higher than they need be, for all our buildings and machinery have to be far in excess of what they otherwise would be if the work were spread over the year. Thus the result of the trade, as at present carried on, is that we have to have enlarged storage capacity, which is both expensive and bad for tho meat, which must necessarily deteriorate after it has been frozen several months.” Being asked what the New Zealand Government did ns to tho pastoral industry, Mr Nelson spoke very strongly against the policy of parcelling out the whole colony into small farms.

“ The settlors that are put on these small sections, as a rule, are not fitted foi fanning work,” ho said, “Itis a grand idea —everyone to his own little bit of | "round, but what does the shoemaker, for instance, know about the growth of sheep and cattle, and the production of meat ? If the Government would encourage people with plenty of money in their pockets, instead of encouraging the. ini-

pecunious, there is still room for consider* able development, but a man without money' is very little good for growing mutton. There is a popular belief in the minds of many people that if they can but own a few acres of land they are going to be prosperous for ever. In practice it is not so. Hew Zealand was never intended to be worked in small areas.” Mr Nelson was by no means enthusiastic in admiration of the existing organisation and facilities for the extension of the New Zealand meat trade in Great

“ Most certainly these are by no means all that could be desired,” he said. “ There appears to be no possibility of anything like an all-round organisation of the different interests of the trade. If we were Americans everyone would precious soon come to an understanding as to how to conduct the trade. As it is now, it seems to mo to be a regular hotchpotch, each one apparently- attempting to. work for himself, and against everybody else. Now, if the trade could be centred in the hands of a dozen or so who could agree as to how tho trade should be conducted —just as the River Plate people and the Americana have agreed to conduct their business —there is no reason why the New Zealand meat trade should not he placed on as steady a footing as the meat trade of other countries, But feeie tJure U ao cghesign la tks Iradg

at all. I understand that from time to time an effort has been made among consignees to form such a combination as to ensure good business being done, but they have never been successful. Nevertheless, until something of the kind is done, complete success cannot bo achieved. No man coming from Ne.v Zealand could attempt to say what the London organisation should be. Many representatives have been sept from the colonies under the impression that they knew everything, but I happen to be an exception, and I think that, if London cannot find some method of conducting the business, we cannot teach London ; but I still hope that the difficulty may be overcome. I am aware, from my owi: knowledge, that consignees are often very much hampered"by instructions from the colonial consignor; it would be much better if the consignors would leave their London representatives untrammelled and with a free hand to do their best.”