The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1895. HOME MEAT MARKET.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 105, 5 July 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1895. HOME MEAT MARKET.

The success attending the import of chilled meat on the London market has caused the Government to consider the advisability of appointing a conference to deal with the subject. It is very evident that what is wanted is not theories, but sound practical knowledge to deal with the question. We have it on the authority of a number of those who have been engaged in the meat trade at Home that a great quantity of frozeu mutton, after going through the wholesale man's hands, finds its way into those of the retailer, and is sold by them as Home grown. We do not think that this practice is by any means general, otherwise general competition would be bound to keep up the price, but if such a course is feasible, and we have good cause to think it is, then inevitably the best samples will be picked for this purpose, and the second-rate or faulty sold under the name of imported. This picking the eyes out of the imports keeps the average price down, as it is the wholesale dealer who nets the profit by purchasing in large quantities at a minimum price, and then sorting it out, netting the large profit which is derived from the choice samples. When the conference is convened we trust the Government will endeavor to get all the practical information available as evidence, so that some sound scheme may be enunciated. In this district we have one who is specially eapable of giving valuable information on the snbject, viz., Mr Rose, of Awatuna. He was for ten years in the wholesale meat market at Smithfield, two years as a salesman, and for eight years was the senior member of the firm of Rose and Morgan, wholesale meat salesmen. He can give first-class credentials as to the standing of his firm in the Smithfield market, and his evidence would be of the greatest practical utility to the conference, which he would be willing to attend. Mr Rose retired from the business and came to New Zealand to take up farming about a year ago. We do not know that he would care to return to England again, as he has made himself a comfortable home here, but if he would he is the sort of man who would be able to point out and correct the present system of blackmailing which ig carried on in London. We hope, for the sake of the farmers, that some scheme will be arrived at by the conference to get all there is in the meat trade for producers.