FROZEN HEAT TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 21

FROZEN HEAT TRADE.

NEW ZEALAND MUST ACCEPT LOWER PRICES. (Fbom Oub Own Cobrespondent.) " WELLINGTON, August 12. Mr P. Cameron, of Dunedin, who is connected with the frozen meat trade, and who has just returned from London, says that New Zealanders must be prepared to accspt for the future a much lower price than has ruled in the past. Where 4^d per pound _ ruled, 2^d will now rule. Things must come down to bedrock. " The Argentine," he points out, " can afford to sell at these Tates, and the quality of their mutton has improved of , late with the improvement in the selection of stock. They are organised to cap- j ture the market, and unless we are pre- j pared to meet their prices we shall lose it. At present the market is simply glutted, and some firms are not prepared to take any more now. The Home sheep market is in a worse state than it has been in for years. It is more the question of competi tion than the depression in British trade that is causing the fall in prices. If only New Zealand could get the German market to take our meat it would be a splendid thing, but the Germans will not allow it to compete wit l i local growers.