THE MEAT MARKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1922, Page 4

THE MEAT MARKET.

BRIGHTER PROSPECTS AT HOME. MUTTON AND LAMB BEST. • POOR MARKET FOR BEEF. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyrigti Received Feb. 9, 8.45 p.m. London, Feb. 8. Tn an interview with the Australian Press Association Mr. J. A. M. Elder, after seven weeks’ close investigation of the meat position, said he considered the outlook for mutton and lam-b brighter than during 1921. The consumption of frozen meat was very good. Trade was starting with fair quantities in towns where hitherto all attempts to establish frozen meat shops bad failed. The stocks of mutton and lamb, which six months ago were enormous, were now less than normal. Beet especially stale, which belonged to the British Government, had considerably diminished, but there was still a large quantity of this on hand. South American shippers continue a beggar-my-neighbor policy, pouring beef into this market in quantities larger than absorbable. They lost heavily and are still losing, yet they continue thia insane competitive policy. Mr. Elder said he could not speak optimistically regarding beef. Argentine can supply much larger quantities than are now arriving, while no fresh Australian beef is on the market, so the prospects for the coming season are unfavorable. The (advance in wool was of great importance to those breeding crossbred sheep and lambs, which were better suited for export than merino. There would likely in the near future he a still greater adjustment of the extreme difference in values of merino and cross- , bred wools. Reciprocity was spoken of during the war as imperative and the protection of the British meat trade as an urgent and vital matter, but one does not hear these sentiments expressed to-day. The matter of reciprocity will again be •brought under the notice of the British Government.—•Aua.-N.Z. Cable Assn.