Frozen Meat Trade.

Manawatu Herald, 30 March 1897, Page 2

Frozen Meat Trade.

The Christchurch Tr.ulh publiahei \ the following, being extracts from a London expert:— #< As regards the depreciation of frozen meat, I think the following are the chief reasons : I — The large quantity of inferior meat sent Home. While every care seems to be taken in the selection of Hirer Plate meat, there seema to be no system adopted in New Zealand for the exclusion of inferior carcases. Of course this does not apply to some well-known brands which are kept up to standard, and it seems to me that all inferior meat is harder to keep in good condition than prime, and suffers to a much greater extent from damage. It must be understood that the trade here will only take the meat that suits them, and if New Zealand will not send this, they cannot expect to get top price. The trade here has greatly altered duriug the last few years, the bulk of consumers do not want big fat joints, but small compact onet, with a fair proportion of fat to tbeiean. The extra fat carcase ia Juat as much disliked as the thin, fon^-^egged one. Another great difficulty- is the impossibility of getting tellable information as to the quantity of meat likely to be shipped throughout the coming season. If the difierent Companies in New Zealand would Arrange their monthly shipments in some sort of proportion, and let it be known here authoritatively what these are likely to be, it would do a great deal to equalise prices. This is done by the River Plate Companies, the managers of which know what will be the shipments for the ensuing twelve months, and for each in<ti» vidual month. " I think that the various New Zealand Companies should hold a conference for the purpose of forming some combination :— (lj To arrange that the Freezing Companies shall be represented by someone who is a buyer of frozen meat ; (2) to draw up rules and regulations for conducting the trade with regard to insurance, market, customs, &c. ; (8) to come to an arrangement with the Insurance Companies that all iniur* ance claims be settled by the Association acting between the Insurance Companies that all Insurance Companies in ascertaining what are really bona tide damages and whaji are not; (4) there should he some agreement between the New Zealand Freezing Companies as to how the meat is to be sold, and especially when it is to be shipped. ;