SMITHFIELD VISIT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 187, 25 August 1937, Page 13

SMITHFIELD VISIT

Gisborne Farmer Describes Meat Market N.Z. LAMB TO FORE • Personal observations of the Smith' field market gaiued by a recent visit to that great clearing-house for the world 's export of meat are given by Mr R. H. Matthews, of Gisborne, in a letter to his father, Mr. C. H. Matthews, of Mangapapa, Gisborne. "Smithfield is a hive of industry incomparable with anything I have yet. seen," wrote Mr. Matthews. "The meat comes direct from the ship to tho market in the early morning, and the selling takes place from 6 a.m. onwards, and those salesmen know their ;job. There ^is no auctioneering whatover. Eaeh * salesman has his particular allotment and the buyers walk round and purchase that which attracts them. I was walking by myself for about half-an-hour, and the salesmen wasted no time in asking which meat I was interested in. "All New Zealand meat is sold as 'New Zealand' irrespective of what part it comes from. As 'Canterbury' is known to the English public, a lot of lamb in retail shops is advertised as ! ' Canterbury' merely to attract. "It would almost seem that New Zealand and. Australia will not bo able to compare with the Argentine in the chilled beef trade. > The bloom is much duller and owing to the extra length of the sea voyage the beef becomes discoloured where the quarters rub against each other on account of the raotion of the ship in heavy seas, etc. The Argentine, Uruguay and Brazilian retaips its bloom and that certainly inakcs a wonderful difference to its market value. "Shorthorn is predominating in the Argentine, but I have been told that Aberdeen-Angus is boing introduced and is to be the breed for the beef trade. The quarters are emaller and as families like the smaller roasts and joints% etc., the demand is greater. Australian beef is mostly Hereford and tshorthorn, but Aberdeen-Angus is also being introduced there. "New Zealand lamb stands out well above anv other to be seen at Smithfield. The carcase is well covered and marked, whereas the Australian and Chilian is inclined to be rather dnll on appearance, not because of any different feeding system, but mainly due to the growth of tbe lamb itself. There is the same contrast in appearance there as there is with the beef, but this time it is in favour of New Zealand "