The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1910 THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 26, 2 February 1910, Page 4

The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1910 THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

There Have been many conferences held in the Dominion during the past few years upon different matters of general public interest, but we doubt very much if there have been any having equal significance with the frozen n:\eat trade conference which concluded at Christchurch on Friday last. At that conference were assembled men representing all shades of political opinion, who were present with the object of discussing the frozen meat trade and the best methods of handling it on the London market. If the conference of these men, engaged ai they are in ope of the principal export trades pf the country, has done nothing else, it has shown that foreign competition at Home has caused them to look to their laurels, and to realise that unless the present conditions b"y which the exportation of frozen meat is surrounded are imp roved upon, the opposition which now presents itself in a small way will ere long become very formidable indeed. Mr Vavasour, who represented Marlborough at the conference, made a great point of the way in which the meat was handled, and although a proposition put forward by him, that the distribution should be controlled from New Zealand in preference to the present system; was defeated, it -had ; the effect of opening up the question for discussion. The expression oi opinion by men who have been connected with the trade for the greater part of their lives should be of great i-value to those engaged in the trade, j who will be only too ready to adopt j any measure which will give them any advantage in their business. I There will be few, we think, who will I agree with Mr Wilson's proposal to ! establish a combine or frozen meat trust in the Dominion, for that is practically what his "board of control" means. We have had sufficient experience of the effect produced by trusts and combines in other countries to know that it would be' the height of folly for any body of men representing one of the largest sections of the Dominion's producers to submit to any such proposal. Sir George Clifford did not deal too lightly with the proposition, and laid stress on the fact that "one of the secrets of New Zealand's success was that they had an open door and free competition, and if buyers and traders were not given a free hand they would check their success." The trade has been well conducted in the past, and it would be an unwise move to alter existing arrangements. At present farmers have free access to markets, and if the prices offering are unsatisfactory they can seek oth«?r markets without interference of sny kind. We have no room for a "ring" here, and it is satisfactory to know that an attempt to form one was promptly knocked on the head by a majority of those at the conference. It has, however, been shown that the producers have some grounds for complaint regarding the handling of shipments at the other end, and the conference wisely referred the matter to a special committee, which will report to a general conference to be held during the winter months. It!

will thus be seen that the future of the trade is being seriously considered, and that producers and freezers alike are bent upon doing all in their power to promote the best interests of a trade which is of such importance to the people of New Zealand. A good beginning has been made by the conference just closed, and we may confidently look forward to still better results from the one to be held a few months hence.