FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1920, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

POSITION OF THE DOMINION. SIR T. MACKENZIE'S VIEWS. THE AMERICAN MARKET. London, June 10. In a conversation relative to the Government's decision not. to extend the purchase contract for New Zealand meat for another year, Sir Thomas Mackenzie said he. agreed with Mr. Massey's computations, for he thought that, including the meat on hand at this end, that in store in New Zealand, and that afloat, there would be between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000 carcases to dispose of at the end of the year. This was after allowing for the sale of 3,000,000 carcases of lamb to-America, and a quarter of a million to the Continent. He also concurred in the hope Mr. Massey expressed, that the British' authorities would not insist on New Zealand keeping all the meat killed after June SO until that owned by the Imperial Government was disposed of.

'•We recognise," said the High Commissioner, ''the difficulties, which have been experienced by the authorities in providing shipping, but at the same time, had the Imperial Government: faced the position earlier and cut their losses, the congestion would not have been nearly so great as it is. As for the ..disposal of New Zealand lamb to America, while I regret that our most delicate and choice article of food should have to go past this country, there is no doubt that the step marks the opening of what will probably prove to be a profitable market for our produce. I should much have preferred an arrangement under which America would take a similar quantity Gf our mutton, and so relieve the United Kingdom market. Given the necessary watchful activity, I think the future prospects for the sale of our meat in the English market are distinctly good. Lamb should continue to return to the producers the rates now current, even if mutton should weaken a little."

USING THE PANAMA'CANAL. "The opening of the Panama. Canal," lie added, "is beginning to be felt much more strongly in the trade relationships between the United States and NewZealand. Both imports and exports have doubled in recent years, and, if the latter continue to increase as in the case of lamb, this will probably lead to return purchases of goods in the United States. Mr. Massey is strong on the point of not allowing the American meat trust to gain a footing in the Dominion, and with, that view I am in complete agreement." Sir Thomas Mackenzie pointed out that the shipping people hoped to he able to provide sufficient space to lift 10,000,000 carcases annually, and he trusted that they would he able to give early effect to that promise. Ho expressed appreciation of the way the Board of Trade had endeavored to cope with the situation.

While at Cardiff last week he learned that there was rooiti for a cargo of frozen meat, and on his return to London he found tlmt the only remaining undischarged ship in the pore had been ordered by the Board to Cardiff, where about 1,000,000 carcases of mutton an disposed of every year, but the authorities say they have facilities for disposing of from -2,000,000 to 3,000,000 carcases annually, CATERERS' PROFITS.

It is stated at the Ministry of Food that since the wholesale coat of imported mutton was reduced, and control was removed from retail prices, the consumption of meat has increased.to a considerable extent. Heat importers, however, are inclined to take the view that, while there has been an increased distribution, the consumption has gone up only slightly. Some of the mutton appears to be changing from one cold store to another, and up to the present tlie caterer, rather than the public, has been getting the benefit of the lower prices. Apparently, the public still insists on having either legs or shoulders when mutton is purchased, and these are taken without consideration of price. For the other joints there is little demand, and the wholesale price for them has been down to j!d and 4d per lb. This, it is explained, is where the caterer comes in. The buyers for the restaurants have taken "chines" and "best enjls" extensively. They have come into the market for part of the carcase between the best end of the neck and the loin, which can be cut into chops from end to end, and leave the caterer with 110 waste; and the question is asked why the caterers buying at 3d. and 4d per lb continue to exact Is fld to 2s (Id for a small chop, and 2s to 3s for a small portion of loin of mutton. At a West End restaurant, an expert in the meat trade had lunch and was charged 3s for loin of mutton which he knew to be imported ewe mutton of inferior quality. Restaurant proprietors probably think that if they reduced their charges this would be tantamount to an admission that they used imported meat, and disillusioned customers might then no longer order mutton.