THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 43, 18 January 1884, Page 2

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

[London Correspondent Auckland . Herald.] The market is marked by no animation, and prices continue to rule low. Of New Zealand consignments, the Catalonia and Lyttelton cargoes have beeiij disposed of at from s£d to s|d per lb. The Doric shipment of 9207 carcases of mutton'," and 266 pieces of beef is still selling. . The meat was m good condition,-: though some of the shefijp were, too small to please the trade, . which, as a rule, does not. care for merinos. About 5500 carcases have been sold at prices ranging from 4| to 6d per lb., according to size and quality. The beef has aU h.ppq. sold M from £j| to Q4 \W \M- feu' 'quarters, and 6d perib. |or selected pieces. The first jVjielbQurn'e cargo yeoeived fov a good many months is now oii tliomajket, and as' it is m perfect condition it is Helling very evenly at from s^d tb's|4.. per lb. The Lusitania has just arrived with a cargo from Sydney, and the meat is aelHpg at sjd per lb. It is too small. Tlje Fenst'anton, from 'New is m port ; and tho Briti^ Qnpp^ to'be'cfose oil 1 her

heelft. It may be interesting, for purposes of comparison, to state that the market quotations for prime English mutton are from 5s to 6s per stone of BUm ; best Scotch mutton, 5s 8d to 6s 2d; English and town killed foreign beef, 4s 2d to 4s 7d ; and Scotch beef, 5s to 5s 6d per stone. In. the* table, some irritation has been caused by the glut created by forcing New Zealand sheep upon the market m undue quantities. I have mentioned this before, and only recur to it to lend emphasis to a remark made recently by the -Chairman "Of the New Zealand' and Australian Land Company, who slated that since the froze'i meat business was started 140,000 sheep hat! been brought to England, but that it was expected there would soon be engaged m thje trade refrigerating ships capable cjf bringing upwards of 400,000 sheep every y ear . This prediction may be realised, but before such an enormous stimulus can be given to the trade, it will, be necessary to arrange some better plan of getting the meat into consumption. At present not more than about half that quantity is absorbed. The3 establishments of depots where the labouring classes may purchase the meat direct, lather than that it should pas«? through the hands of agents, and so reach the ordinary price by .the time it gets to the consumer, ban been suggested, but it requires much capital to divert business from old and recognised channels.