AMERICAN MEAT TRUST MENACE.

Taihape Daily Times, 5 June 1919, Page 4

AMERICAN MEAT TRUST MENACE.

(To the Editor) Sir,-—~Thc above-mentioned title has been one of the questions largely debated at the Farmers’ Union meetings» in Auckland and Wellington lately. The increased interest in it, shown by the various remits from all parts of ~t.lle Dominion, indicate that the mcat—pmducer is slowly but surely, becoming alive to its ‘strength -and power. Many are the remedies ‘prescribed, quack and professional. I claim to be the latter, 5 having experience as an English wholesale and retail butcher, coupled with: the colonial experience as butcher, ‘farmer-, and‘ flreezing lworks buyer. Now, to criticise: The weakest point I find in all schemes to combat the Trust is elimination -of‘ competition in buying fat stock; the next is an endless number of brands of “competition is the life of -trade.” My idea. on the subject is something after these lines: Allow anyone to buy and freeze the products and by—products to be graded to as standard grade whereverhandled; all meat to _be shipped under one brand only, viz., “New Zealand”; all meat shipped except to Great Britain to pay an export tax of 2/ per carcase for mut- 1 ton and lamb 5/ per quarter for beef. and 5/ per car-case for veal. The other . side, in England, there should be established a distributing company in which every New Zealand freezing concern have a. say in its control, accord~ ing to its output. This said concern to handle the en-tire output of the Dominion that is consigned to England, or the Continent of Europe, its business being to supply the retailer throughout Europe as the markets open up; also to advertise the Dominion’s products, «such as ‘larranging special window displays in leading tradesmen ’s shops in the large towns, with display tents -at the County and Royal Shows, trade exhibitions etc., and so teach theconsuming public the virtues of New Zealand meat, especially the lamb, and remove that bugbear, Viz., classing us, or, rather, our goods, as Australasia. To give the retail butcher a chance-~ to buy genuine New Zealand meat in ‘sm;u_l quantities.-to suitllis trade (this is a most important point), and enable "him ‘to ‘depend On getting what he asks for when sending from small- provincial 1 towns and villages for supplies. Such a business undertakinqg would be a big afi‘air to get going in ordinary times, 5 but anytime within the next two years ~ is a golden opportunity to get -started. Frozen meat at Home is in great disrepute. It got an abominable reputation in the past three years, mainly owing to the rubbishy cattle -and long- , stored meat, mostly American supplies,” allocated by .thc Government under the rationing scheme. The trade has got to be started again from the bottom _ "—makc no mistake about that———and re- I organised, depots and distributing age‘nts'es.tablished. So why not step in A and establish our own? We shall be doing no one an injlusticc, spoiling good-. wills, etc. i - V

Now, a few words re the retailer: I notice 'many are in favour of opening shop? in Great Britain and retailing. I wonder if these gentlemen have examined the results obtained by the various concerns, such as Eastman's, Nelson Bros., Argentine Meat Co., and such like multiple-shop meat traders, who have been in business for many years, and have very little to show for it* These are the survivors—the "gone unders" are too numerous to enumerate. The retail meat trade is a funny, fickle affair to run under management, and it Is the individual trader, small or great, who is the class the New Zealand producer should cater for—always bearing in mind that to top the market your goods must be of the best quality, displayed well, and sold' in quantities to suit the purchaser's pocket and trade. One more id>a occurs to me, and that is: Many here, think that only the best is required :*0 Home; that is entirely wrong. There is a market for all sorts. In some parts of England a good fat ram is valued higher and sells more quickly than any other class of fat sheep; in other parts a ripe bull is most sold; in other parts heavy-weight sheep and cattle; in other parts, nothing else but light, lean meat; and so on. It is just a question of knowing the right place to pitch in and when. For instance, veal and lamb is worth 2d per lb more is Februarjr, March, April, and May than the rest of the year. The same applies to offal, tripes, livers, etc.; in many parts these are an indispensable part ->f a butcher's stock-in-trade, and unless you can supply him with offal he caor.ot buy his carcases from you. The ordinary colonial has no conception r>f the variations and different local methods in the retail trade in Great Britain, and this is where cute Yank has scored. He has organised a system of personal solicitation, and no order £s too small for him. It is no use blinking the fact, the American has lh© money, and also the ability as a salesman. There are only four firms, 83 firms, but one in policy, out to captui§[ and hold, the world's meat trade. We impose penalties on firms if they operate here. What's the use, if when .we land the stuff in any port, they are our only customers? Lot them come if they

like, and buy and ship, but we.should see that we are the only sellers of New Zealand meat in Europe, unless we have had a profit out of them before out meat left the country. Government control is too <Spstly, and open to political influence. Private enterprise is best, especially in times like the present, when the Government has so many problems to. solve. It seems to me some people vote for a Minister but expect a magician. Business is business, so if the Yank •wants our meat, sell it to him by all .means, but don't be sentimental about i?. Do as he did to the British Government; squeeze him, make him pay an export tax as above-mentioned, for the good of the country and its citizens.—l am;, etc., S. S. TIMBS.