THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1913. FROZEN MEAT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 10 January 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1913. FROZEN MEAT.

The frozen meat trade is second - in importance, sa far as New Zealand is concerned, to that of wool. In recent years it has made tremendous stride's, and the prospects for the future are, taking all things into consideration, most encouraging. ...The report of Messrs Gilbert Andersoriand Co. on the past, year's operations is now before us, and makes interesting reading. The year, it states, was characterised by many vicissitudes which caused considerable anxiety, but in spite of this no past year had been so marked by steady trade nor by a higher range of price?. The coal strike which caused considerable alarm in Australia, bad practically no effect on tho prices of frozen meat, but the strike at. the Port of London, which caused considerable inconvenience and loss to shipowners find others, wa=. papitallv handled, enabling supplies to he available and prices maintained. From November to January large ouantities of "Rome-grown meat were forced on to the market in a more or less unfinished condition, as t consequence of +bo shortage of feed, but i>> face of tin's the price of frozen meat wa-s maintained at a level frequently above \ the r»ric n of Home-grown and always iTM'ond the usual par of values. The spoils depletion of the T-Tnnie flocks find herds and the light laming- m"' linokward season in the Southern Hemisphere indicated that stinnliex would bo short, and everything pointed to a year of high prices. This prediction was realised, for '-allies n>mnimvl constant mid hiVh throughout tho season, and the position was Further ■tssistod by the better regulation of shipments, either from,force o"f circumstances -or hv careful arrangement. On the whole, shipments were l

landed in excellent condition, .and but i'or the unfortunate eft'ects of'the disorganisation of trade flowing from tfy. dock strike thwro would have been a marked absence of damaged meat. The report goes on to state that prices showed such marked regularity that t'here is .no call for a month to month review of values as was compiled in previous years. The highest average monthly price for North Island mutton was 3-1 (kl higher than during the previous year, or 4-Jd against 4 5-16 d. The lowest average monthly was 11-16 d higher than the lowest average in 1911, or 3£d and 213-10 d. Canterbury mutton did not. reach n higher average than, in the previous year, but the lowest .average prjee was 3d per pound above 1911, the respective figures being 4Jd and 3UI. Canterbury lamb reached the highest average price of 6 l]-16d, whilst the previous season the highest average was 5 13-10 d. Last season's lowest monthly average was ogd agralnst 42d 'w 1911, a difference of LVd per pound. Tlie prices for North Island lambs showed a greater contrast. The highest average reached during the .season which has hist closed was 6 l-lfid. whilst the previous season the highest reached was 5 9-16 d. Lost season's average was 5 3-lGd. whilst in 7.911 they sold down to as low as -(-kl. a. difference of l'l-lCd. The report goes on to say that it is impossible to arrive at a correct aver«if«> nrice for the year's shipments, but In- taking the month of May as the time when tho .supplies arc usually .heaviest and large purchases a'-e made for the coming months the following contrasts are found: 1911-1912 —Canterbury mutton, -lijd: North Tsland mutton. 3jd. 1910-1911—Can-terbury mutton. 3 9-16rl: North Island mntton. 2 5-Ifid. This means that prices were higher bv 13-16 d per pound, or 3s 9d an a 501b slieep fn the case of Canterbury mutton, and |11~1.6d on North Island mutton, or 3s 3d per head. In tlie case of lamb thr> ficruros are equally interesting: 1911-1912—Canterbury 'lamb, g 1516d; North Island lamb, 53d. 19101911—Canterbury lamb. 4. 7-16 d; North. Island lamb, i 3-1 fid. From this it will be seen' that in the case of Canterbury lamb prices were better to the extent of IJd ner pound, which in the case of n 341b tomb would mean 4s 3d: while in the case of North Island prices showed a" improvement to flio extent r>f J 9-16 d pc>. noiinri o" ,( s r,r] n<M . bead on lambs wn'Vhjpn- ."lib.. Tbo f"mcl"<les ■ F-Irlf oi-. '-'•istruct'Vn serf** of fnhW;, [ohowin" the progress, made h\ the in|du«trv in various countries during rojconfc vcnVs.