The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1904. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 51, 4 March 1904, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1904. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Messrs W. Weddel ami Co. h.i\u just issued their sixt-eunlh annual review of the frozen meal mules, which contains a general ami detailed retrospect of the year IWI3. cud gives a very fail ami interesting summary of the course of operations during the tvvclru months. Copious ststisties relating to the trade urn also furnished, and the publication will undoubtedly he found very valuable tt) those concerned in this important colonial trade. According to Messrs Weddul, "Urn general qua-lity of New Zealand last year was '.lot always all that could he desired. Complaints were frequently heard of the presence of secondary carcases among even the best brands from the South Island. Shipments from the North Island, on the other hand, were, generally speaking well up to their respective standards, mid therefore continued to give satisfaction to buyers." Messrs Weddel rem irk on the large number of old ewes that were imported during the year, and also the mischievous effect prorfu&d upon the trade by marketing damaged landis in the latter half of August. Tt is gratifying to note that in the opinion of Messrs Weddel "the outstanding feature of the New A-a-iand trade in 100 M was the 'xoeprionally high standard of quality which characterised practically the whole of the year's imports.'' The report proceeds : "Tt has :ieen a matter of some surprise to those engaged in the trade to find that the colony could increase its output to the extent oi K50.000 to 100.000 carcases, and at the same time maintain a level of excellence which will compare favourably with that of any previous year." It is noted further that "the reputation of !>i-vv Zealand lambs has been certainly further enhanced by the experience of the year just closed." They note with regret that the New Zealand beef trade showed a considerable falling oil' alike in quantity and in quality, and as regards the prospects for 1901. Messrs Weddel think that some sleekening in Hie consumptive demjnd for New Zealand meat must be teckoned with, and that, the best to be expected in 1901 is a bare maintenance of the general level of last year's juices. Dealing with the subject of preference and its effect on colonial trudc, Messrs tt'eddcll remark that "(Ireat Britain, having a steadily growing consumptive demand for fresh meat, which cannot be met by the almost stationary Home production nor by the slowly expuniliug colonial output, cannot possibly shut out or lessen its foreign supplies (25 per cent, of the whole) without, almost cerfafnly raising their cost. In fnct, some rise, resul'ting from the duty being imposed, must take place in this market before colonial shippers can obtain any cash value in respect of the handicap proposed to be placed upon their competitors. If it must be comended that the colonists are to rest satisfied with the advantages of u larger outlet, and not look for increased prices as the result of a preferential tarilf, it may be replied that they have already found themselves unequal to the task of supplying the existing demand. They still provide only 18(i,f>00 tons out of the 585,000 tons required annually to supplement the deficiency in our Home production. Severe droughts in Australia having greatly reduced the flocks and herds of the Commonwealth, and New Zealand having already shipped to this market to such an extent that serious depletion of her flocks was revealed by Ihis year's agricultural returns, it, would seem to he unreasonable to expect any immediate material expansion in the output from our colonies in the Southern Ilumisphere. There is only Canada left to be dealt with, and in thai case the numbers of cattle and sheep are comparatively so small, in view of the rapidly increasing population, and the d,mand for slocking up new country, that it must be many years before it will be possible for that colony to compete effectively with the railed States. In the case of beef, it is shown that .'101,771 tons, or SO per cent, of the imports, conic from foreign countries, and only 73.47S tons or 20 per cent, from our colonies. The bulk of the beef comes from the l.'nited States, and, large though the volume of that business is, it represents not more than 5 or 111 per cent, of that country's producllon. States beef is exported Hi the I'nited Kingdom imwllv with a viewto maintaining prices at a high level in the American market. To that end it is frequently sent here al n serious loss without the export being checked ; and it is improbable that the imposition of tt slight duty would materially lessen the volume of that portion of the business,which is practically an instance of "dtiuipimr." In the case of million ami lamb, the colonies already supply a targer pen.vntatge of our imports Jhun do foreign countries (11M.075 tons us against !>7,2|0 tons), without having required any arlllicial encouragement to ship to tint Old C-ountry. >ioKiinff Ims limited their export except their capacity to breed and fatten stock ; and there can be no question as to the profitableness of the trade so far. at least, as NewZealand farmers are concerned."