FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1921, Page 12

FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

POST-WAR OPPORTUNITIES. FORMER STANDARD REQUIRED. The New Zealand frozen meat industry was the subject of an interview with Sir Thomas Robinson on his arrival in Auckland by the Rimutaka from London, last week. Sir Thomas said his chief object in coining to New Zealand was to make the acquaintance of the primary producers and commercial men, with whom he did so much business during the xyar, in his capacity as Controller of Meat Supplies under the Imperial Government. He said it was at the request of Mr. Massey, Sir Joseph Ward aYid Sir Thomas Mackenzie that he had decided to spend some time in New Zealand before continuing his tour to Australia. Sir Thomas Mackenzie and he had frequently discussed ways and means of turning to the 'best advantage of producers in New Zealand, the opportunities created by the abnormal times through which the Empire was passing. He hoped to discuss with the producers the advantages which New Zealand’s primary products had gained during the war. No one could have dealt with such immense quantities of. New Zealand pro. duce as passed through his hands during the war, without acquiring a fund of information that would be of great value to those concerned in tthis business. New Zea/lanfl producers and shippers , should realise that a considerable tasjc; as well as great opportunities, lay ahe'ad of them. It was of course beyond question that New Zealand produce, while the war continued, reached European markets in an inferior condition, when compared with the degree of excellence that characterised its pre-wai\standard. This was unavoidable, despiteyall that was done to minimise the effect of the difficult circumstances under which the export trade was conducted. The discontinuance of careful grading and the necessity for telescoping carcases, and the fact that the meat was sold before being shipped, combined with the fact that the meat was unquestionably carelessly handled, tended to the deterioration of the meat. Added to this was the indiscriminate manner in which it was disposed of in Britain on the basis that “a pound of meat was a pound of meat, no matter where it camo rrom.**

All this had tendgd to lower the reputation of New Zealand moat on the British markets, continued Sir Thomas, and in order to regain the preference it enjoyed prior to 1914, it would be necessary for shippers to exercise the utmost care and discrimination in handling their produce. If this were done, the frozen meat from this country would have no difficulty in securing the higher prices buyers were willing to pay for the better selected and more carefully handled meat obtainable from New Zealand before the war.

Sir Thomas observed that Now Zealanders might attribute the conditions of the meat he had described as inferior, to the Government control. Perhaps it had not been realised here that iw order to win the war control was absolutely necessary. Personally he thought it was to be regretted that the control was not discontinued 'as soon as the necessity for it ended, but when Government departments were once set up and placed in charge of anything, they were very slow to recognise that their existence had ceased to ibe of public advantage. It was just a question whether this matter had been wisely, managed and dealt with with sufficient sympathy and frank regard for Cotomal interests.