The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 10, 1906.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1830, 10 August 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 10, 1906.

j The interesting remarks and eloquenl | figures submitted by the Chairmau o | the Wellington Moat Export Oonr j pauy, which wo publish elsewhere* draws attention once more to a subject that has been discussod for a long time wherever two or three sheepfarmers have gathered together. The subject has not become stale, however, for its importance and close alliance to tho bs3t interests of the colony itself are such as to make the fullest discussion of every phase of it a dire necessity. For many years Argentine competition with Australia and New Zealand in the meat trade hag been regarded as serious in tho matter of quantity ; but it has been under-rated by Foloniul growers who thought that in the matter of quality New Zoaland, ut any rate, could never bo approached from that quarter. But now, as Mr Buchanan points out, equal prices have boon obtained in tho London market by Argentine growers, and when fo quality they cau add almost unlimited quantity the position, as far as Now Zealand export is concerned, baa become serious. For this position New Zoaland growers are themselves to blame in a great measure, .because they do not appear to have sufneientiy; studied the fastidiousness of the English buyers and consumers who insist upon getting what thoy want no

mattor from wlionoo it comoa. For tbo prosont position tlioro in soino excuse, and it will most probably bo found in tlio fact that tho pricn of wool lias nmdn tlm inornasml production of that commodity tlio groat dnsidorat.um with growers, and it is probablo that

tlio mattor will halanco itsolf again vvlion tho piico if wool goos down. But in tlio moH'.itimo it would bo woll

to consider tlio effects of a temporary neglect of tlio frozen moat marlcot in regard to tho size and ([nality of oarCason, for if oneo tho Avgoutino gains ascondency in tho estimation of l'ngh.sh consumers for producing tho correct si/o required, oven though only a fair average quality may bo maintained, it will bo a vory difficult mattor to wrest tho trftdo from tho growers in that country. They have, U 3 Mr Buchanan points out, spared no ex* ponso or pains to cater for tho trade in tho ondoavour to produco tho carcaso that host suits tho English buyer, wdiilo it appears to bavo boon tho method of Now Zoaland growers to ship thoir surplus carcases without boiug too scrupulous about individual weights, quality or uniformity. Tho outlook on tho wholo is not a promis ing ono for this colony unless compensating advantages aro afforded by tho

wool market. Indood tho question is serious ouough to warrant a representative conference of shoopfarmors from all parts of tho colony being held at an early dato in order to decide on tho host method of not only maintaining tho supremacy of Now Zealand mutton, but of also retaining tho colony’s duo share of 'ho English meat trade, and this can host bo done by eoncortod action and a strict understanding that every individual concerned will do his best to support tho general conclusion. Tho dillioultios of tlio position, however, aro enormous, for it would appear that the market to be catered for requires an article that

it does not suit every sheepfarmor to produco, and tho consumer is so fastidious as to size and proportion of fat that ho almost stipulates for a machine-made carcaso. Even if

growers wore all of ono mind from ono end of these islands to tho other tho impossibility of producing a uniform article throughout is quite apparent, for tho arid hills of North Auckland differ materially from tlio wet plains of South Taranaki, as also does tho rich soil of Hawko’s Bay from tho windswept elevations of Wellington. In tho South Island too, tho sheep that will thrive on tho prairio lands of Canterbury would bo unable to climb tlio stoop slopes of back country stations in tho same province, and Otago affords similar diversities in climate, configuration, and character of soil. Still an intelligent generalisation is possible, but it can only be arrived at by a concensus of experience, and this in turn is available only trom tbo organised method above suggested. In a word, if New Zealand is to succeed in its competitive struggle for this trade, the whole question will havo to bo reduced to a scientific method, and every sheepfarmor must loarn its details and carry them into practical effect. A go-as you-please stylo of individualistic mo'hod, where somo endeavour to improve the conditions and others know not how best to do so, can never reach the maximum of success available to proper organisation.