DISTRIBUTION OF MEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1922, Page 7

DISTRIBUTION OF MEAT.

INTERESTING COMPARISON. REPORT TWENTY YEARS AGO. SUGGESTION FOR A POOL. London, Jan. 20. In 1903 there were published in New Zealand certain proposals for the improvement of the marketing and distribution of frozen • meat. These proposals and suggestions had been made by Mr. ij. C. Cam- •• ron, then produce commissioner in London, and they were forwarded to the Government by Mr. W. Pember Reeves. Mr. Cameron himself afterwards went to New Zealand, and the whole subject had considerable publicity. In view of the present meat scheme it is .interesting to nole how the suggestions made nearly twenty years ago are at last being seriously considered.

With regard to “pooling,” Mr. Cameron then wrote: “There is a considerable amount of damage occasioned by the necessity of sorting out the numerous marks on the small consignments which are sent Home to- various agents. ... It might be possible, and I am certain that it would he advantageous, if the freezing companies would accept the suggestion that each of them should have a representative in London, stipulating tifcat all meat frozen in their works should be handled by him, to pool all small lots and return to the several shippers the average price realised. I am of opinion that this treatment of consignments would be fair. . There would not then be the lottery of the shipper whose meat was last on board realising a higher or lower price, according to the rise or fall of 4 the market, than the shipper whose consignment may have been placed first on board, and consequently, the last to be discharged. If an arrangement of this sort was carried out, comparatively few hands would be necessary> and the meat being delivered ‘oh a face’ would be less liable to injury in handling than now. . . . Regularity of supply must be insisted upon if the trade in this country is to be developed and permanent good is to be obtained; without it trade cannot grow and business will always be speculative.” ADVERTISING NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE. Again/ on the question of advertising. Mr. Cameron wrote: “I have for years been advocating advertising our meat among the wealthier classes in the large towns of the Midlands and the North of England by demonstration. There is a large field there for development, and the class to which I wish to appeal has not hitherto been supplied with our meat as New Zealand. Surely if our meat is good enough to sell as English it is good enough to sell as New Zealand. Therefore let us sell it as such, and gain that advertisement from the high-quality meat which we ought to have. When it is\sold as English we get no advertisement dnd gain little advantage. The retail butcher is the one who reaps .the profit. . . . Too great attention cannot be paid by the New Zealand producer in catering for the requirements of the British markets. . . . It is acknowledged by all experts that the quality of the finest New Zealand mutton received on the English market is excellent. Why, therefore, should not this desirable supremacy be maintained? With proper care on the part of New Zealand breeders it ought to be. I am inclined to believe that the

producer in New Zealand does not really recognise the competition that he has to face. I assert that it is serious, and that it calls for earnest consideration.” REGULARITY OF SHIPMENTS. Regularity of shipment is another matter dealt with. “A matter of great importance, and one which proves very hurtful to the advance of trade in New Zealand mutton at Home, is the irregularity with which shipments from here arrive. . . I am not without hope, however, that the seriousness of the position will be recognised, and that an improved system, by which sheep will be fattened and shipped in more even quantities all the year round, will be adopted. The system is followed in River Plate, and I cannot see why, where conditions and climate are equal, it should not as well be carried out in New Zealand. It, I admit, may require some self-sacrifice at first on the part of the producers, but I am certain that the ultimate result of its adoption will prove most thoroughly remunerative. A steady market, with payable prices, would be more readily assured. Regularity of supply must be insisted on if the trade in this country is to be developed and permanent good is to be obtained; without it trade cannot grow, and business will always be speculative.” The setting up of a board in London seems to be suggested in the following paragraph. “The various representatives in London of the New Zealand refrigerating companies could .readily form an association, which might meet once each week and compare notes, taking steps to determine prices according to the condition of the market, supplies, etc. Ido not suppose that they could control prices, but they could in all probability do much more to regulate them than is now possible. There can be no scheme proposed to benefit the meat trade that will be free from the charge of interfering with some interests, and opposition to it will be taken accordingly. I submit that this scheme, while not being elaborated, is worthy of consideration by the various refrigerating companies in the colony.”