LAMB MARKET.

Shannon News, 9 May 1924, Page 4

LAMB MARKET.

DEPRESSED, BtJT, IMPROVING. WELLINGTON, Last Night. At the meeting of the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union, information was received from the Meat Producers’ Board relating to its recent activities. The goard stated that latest information from its London manager inspecting the recent setback in lamb prices was as follows: —“Up to the time of the strike, the lamb market appeared to be fairly firm and during the strike a fair quantaty of lamb was disposed of, owing to the fact that it was impossible to obtain any supplies of chilled beef. On the cessation of the strike, however, held up shipments o.f chilled beef simply flooded the market, and Smitilifield slumped very badly. Most Of the retailers laid in heavy stocks of chjlled beef, upon which they are making fine profits, and no doubt they pushed beef against lamb. The demand for lamb lias been very disappointing during the last month, as the weather is still cold and tihis no doubt lias affected its sale.” Last cabled advice from the London manager, dated May 2, says:—“The lamb market is now strong, with a go.od demand.” It was hoped that with the enormous number of visitors expected in London for the exhibition a greater demand for New Zealand lamb would be created, more particularly as the lamb season usually commenced about Easter. The Board’s London 'manager lias co-operatcd with the High Commissioner in bringing, pressure on the present Government to get iti to insist on stocks of refrigerated meat held in cold stores being published monthly, as was done in America and elsewhere. The Board was now receiving from its London office regular reports by the inspector who was appointed recently to Avatcli the unloading of vessels at the other end. The presence of this officer already had led to better handling and through his reports the Board httd been able to institute several improvements. The officer also attended surveys for damage, and was thus in a position to locate where the damage occurred.