NEW MARKETS.
THE QUESTION OF WEST OF
ENGLAND PORTS
It ha 3 been repeatdly urged that this country, the bulk of whose export produce is of a perishable nature, should break away frum the idea that London is the only distribuing centre of Britain. True, the capital of the Empire is the greatest marketing place in the world. When it is considered, however, that the congested state of the river port of the metropolis forces our valuable food products to be handled at times very much like so much scrap iron, and that there are big provincial markets in the Mother Country which can be reached through ports where our perishable goods can be handled in most up-to-date manner, it is purely well worthy of consideration whetther we should continue adherence to the policy of distributing everything through London. The need of a change of tactics is further emphasised when it is remembered that much of our produce already goes to provincial markets, and that instead of reaching these in the best of condition it necessarily suffers by the process of elaborate and rough handling, it is subjected to in London; the cost of this unnecessary handling amounting to a considerable sum. A ttrong supporter of shipping to West of England ports is Mr John Cooke, of the noted Australian meat shippers of that name. Speaking on the matter recently, he said "about GO per cent, of Australian mutton went to London, 40 per cent, to Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, etc. The proportions of Australian lamb were about 70 per cent, to London and 30 per cent, to Liverpool. Australian frozen beef found its way as follows, viz., under 40 per cent, to London, and 60 per cent, to Liverpool. A few months after said Mr Cook, I visited Cardiff and saw a large parcel of mutton and lamb from a colonial freezing works being landed and put into cold store erected on the wharf. The whole process of transfer, from the steamer's hold to store ccupying three or four minutes. The carcases were as clean and bright as when they left the Australian freezing wurks. I am convinced that this system will be extending considerably because of its greater safety and economy." In regard to the large proportion of Australian beef going already to Liverpool, it should be pointed out that this is principally Queensland beef, and is not of a very high quality. While the opportunity of disposing well of secondary quality in Liverpool and some other provincial centres is better than in London, it is not to be thought that it is only the London market that can take the best quality. There is a demand —steadily expanding with the constant tendency towards a higher standard of living for the best quality of produce in the principal manufacturing towns of England, Take the question of butter, the bulk of the Danish supply is consumed in the north of England and the Midlands. Happily improved handling conditions for our meat at the port of London are in sight, but granting that we do ventually secure the reform desired there is no reason why more of our produce should not be diverted to West of England ports, and thereby strengthen the selling prospects of our meat which at the present time is competing too much against itself. Obviously, therG is an advantage in distributing an article over as large an area as possible, providing, of course, it is only marketed where there is a good demand for it, and that a good supply at each centre is maintained.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KCC19120420.2.22.1
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King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 458, 20 April 1912, Page 6
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599NEW MARKETS. King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 458, 20 April 1912, Page 6
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