THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 8

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

A SANGUINE QUEENSLANDER. CAN AUSTRALIA SUPPLANT NEW ZEALAND? Mr R. H. Edkins recently visited New Zealand to make inquiries about the working of meat freezing and preserving establishments in connection with proposals to utilise surplus cheep in Queensland. In an interview on his return he said: — "Actual correspondence from London agents placed at my disposal clearly stated that we should ih'ave no difficulty in selling our merino sheep and Jambs at a remunerative rate, in preference to the heavier and higher-priced sheep from the other States. The chief point seems to be grading' and keeping 1 to one standard of grading, so that the agents may know wha'b they are to expect. What the consumers — that is, generally speaking, the middle classes in England — want is a cheap meat food, not fat. Consequently Australia should have every advantage in meeting the demand." Mr Edkins also made tne strong statement that in spite of the present glut in the frozen xaeak maitket in London "orders are being .cabled to Sydney for all the decent lighter merino she&p available. Lambs are selling freely down to a minimum of 221b at a payable value to-day,- when the market is at its worst." This statement of preference for merino 6heep — Mr Edkins does not say lambs — is co much at variance with preconceived ideas on the subject (says the Sydney Mail) that one may pause to consider the inference. Certainly, it has been suggested from time to time that the lambs were becoming too heavy for th& [London market; but for a time it was considered that greater weight was advisable, and was welcomed, and the revolt in. this respect is due to the matter having been overdone. This is the case with New Zealand, according to Mr Edkins, who said that many authorities believed that the sheep in New Zealand had got too heavy. Nearly all the merino blood had run out of the farmers' stocks, and he was informed that the best cross was the first cross with the merino. So much so has that been the case that in New Zealand they are Beginning to preserve the heaviest sheep, instead of freezing them. On the other hand, besides the fact of pitting mature merino sheep agaiast crossbred lambs, it must jiot be forgotten that the merino sheep is notoriously a bad freezer, the colour being not nearly so good as with the crossbred, co that when the mutton is thawed cut ite condition is not enticing. Still, Mr Edkina is one of the most experienced etocfemea in Central Queensland, and his judgment iB undoubted. Hie statement is all the more entitled to some weight from the fact that he is strongly advocating the establishment of works wholly for the treatment of sheep in his district, and he is not likely to go that length unless he has thoroughly satisfied himself as to the basis of his remarks. In fact, it was with the object of getting his views that the Pastoralisns' Association of Central Queensland asked him to go to New Zealand to make inquiries. These pastoralists are not concerned with the lamb trade so much as with a proposal tc get rid of the surplus matured sheep. Had Mr Edkins not been convinced that his information rfrom London was correct he would, no doubt, have recommended works for making extract in which the matured sheep could with advantage be utilised. Of course his proposal embraces the extract process, but only ac a side- line. Mr A. H. Whittingham, president of the association, who also accompanied Mr Edkins, has not committed himself, but says that the method of disposing of the surplus should be by co-operative works, or by arrangement with the existing companies. But Mr Edkins has not hesitated to 6ay that "the g,raziera of the State (Queensland) should co-operate in the formation of a large company to erect and control works equipped with the most recent machinery and methods of treatment; a.nd if they do they will increaso very materially tho value of their flocks." It may be that the trade which Mr Edkins speaks of securing is not the usual class of trade in England, or not tho class which has been supplied with mutton. Or it may be that' the present depression at Home has greatly altered the frend of trade, and mado many consumers look to a cheaper class of meat. If that supposition is correct the erection of the proposed works must be entered upon with caution, for a fickle public may turn again as soon aa the works are in full operation. But in this connection it must be remembered that the Central Queensland paetoraliste, through their mouthpiece?, have declared that what they want to do is not &o much to make a profit out of their surplus sheep as- to pre-

> vent losses occurring. At present, Mt , Whittingham said, some of the station i owners are killing certain of the older sheep ' simply for their skins. There 16 no doubt I that if the demand exists on the lines .set out by Mr Edkins, woifc of "the nature pro- ; posed would mak» -a handsome profit, judgi ing by tihe result of the inquiries in New • Zealand, where it is said some of the works i are making extraordinary profits. The Queensland works, ifc is argued, could get the raw product at a much cheaper rate i than other works. Mr Edkins is interesting on this point. "While I was in Syd- : ney," he fcaid, "I had an opportunity of i inspecting the principal meat works there, and what they have done may well stimulate interest .here. The Sydney Meat Pre- ■ serving Company's shares are selling above par, and they have to buy theii sheep in the open market, against all competition, at an average of fully 4s above the rates which would be paid for similar sheep at Rockhanrpton. That company preserves and makes extraot, but no freezing. It carries on business at a very considerable disadvantage, because it purchases and handles cheep from the Sydney market instead of buying sheep landed direot from the growers to the works. It is allowed a subsidy of & per- cent, on all sheep coming from tho Sydney saleyards; which roughly means jd per cheep, or 3d per sheep on all they treat, as they buy fully a quarter _of all those sold. This would not be required in Queensland, as our prioes are low enough to permit profits to be made if the sheep are handled with efficiency and by up-to-date methods." Sheep men will awaif. with some inte.resfc for a manifestation of the statement credited to Mr Edlcins : "I ana. advised on reliable authority that Queensland oan best supply the sheep that the. English agents are looking for." Queensland does not,- eupply lamb to any extent, especially the crossbred lamb, and Mr Edikins is- speaking on behalf of the big man who devotes himself to a wool -producer rather than to a muttonproducer, so that one oan only believe the contention is that the English consumer wants matured sheep rather than fat lamb.