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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3570, 25 July 1890, Page 2

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(From the WoodvilleVExaminer;) Mr Buchanan, M.H.R;, chairman of tbp, Wellington Meat Export Company,. met a number of tile settlors of tho Vootlville'distridM't the Club Hotol on'Mondayto discuss the prospects of the; frozen meat trade. Mr Haggeu introduced -,'■-. Mr Buchanan to tho moeting, his visit being the result of tho notice of motion-given, for next meeting'of the Farmer's Club.. • I Mr -Buchanan said most of them knew he was chairman of a Company which was mainly a co-operativo orio, owned by settlers .like themselves.' He reviewed the history of tho'Uompany. They had had. many diflioulties to contend against,-but were now a well-established oimpany and had been able to fulfil their promises. One of the promises they had made ma that they would reduce to the se.ttler the charges' of freezing to the lowest point. They had succeeded in reducing the charges from |d to 8-Bths of a penny, equal to about 8d a sheep.- When in America he had examined fully.tbe treatment of stook

for oxport. In America chilling was the great method, Anyone observing the American system was able to get the benefit ot their experience.. They had found the great benefits of central operations in the most convenient spot and carrying thorn op as fully as possible in one spot. With roforon.ee to the operations at Longburn, Wanganui, and Waitara, he considered theiu antagonistic to the interests of settlers, as they prevented, by dividing the operations, the reduction, in the eliarga to tho settler. As Jong as each establishment only put through a small quantity there was no.hopo of securing the reductions which would bo brought'about if the trade went through ono channel. In Dnnedin the chargeß wero sd, and at Christohuroh would now be fd per lb, and had the company which he represented been able to get larger control of the stock they would also have been able to reduce the charges to Jd alb.. It had beon reported that Nelson Bros., were about to establish works hero, In reference to Nelson Bros- they must agree with him that firm had conferred a great benefit'on Hawko's Bay, and he might say tho same of the Gear Co.,

at Wellington.. It was quite consistI enb with what he had said that it was not to the beat interest of the settler to deal with such companies however whose object was to make as much money as possible, Of course the townspeople would like to see as many businesses in their town as possible, The daniago to cattle through being trucked alive was very small. In America during the year prior to this visit threo million cattle were slaughtered at Chicago, and these had all been trucked except about 0000 head, and the damage was very small, AH other things equal, the nearer to the pasture the cattle were slaughtered the better, and that would be the only

advantage of slaughtering locally, kit that advantage was very- small compared with the advantages of sending through a oontval depot. Tho cost of sending sheep to Wellington was Is 2d perhead.and toTomoano 10Jd, and of cattle to Wellington 7s'6d and toTomoana 5s 7d.- This difference would bo doue away with when the Government bought the Manawatu Company's line as they.mußtdo, : though it might not be done for two years owing to the reluotance of the people to go into the London market, • The freight for sending dead meat to Wellington was 12s 3d for say an 8001b bullock, while it was lis 2d to Tomoana, showing a difference about 5s a head in favor of trucking. The wholeexperienoeofNewZealandwent toßhow ra favor of operations at one point. There' overy part of the aumal could be utilised. This could not bo bo if the operations were divided, The surplus stock from this district had hitherto been small but a very few years would see the enormous expansion of their stock here.. Upon the commencement of the trade now would depeud much of their future success. His Company hod been freezing 1200 sheep per day and during the laßt six months, 6000 head of cattle. This was 80 peroentofthe total cattle exported from Zealand. Next summer they expeoted to be ablo to freeze double the number of stock. They would thus see that the principle of the Company was to reduce tho charges as low as possible add to give all they could to tho settler, (Applause.)

Mr Carlile said they were indebted to Mr Buchanan for ooniiug forward and giving them the information he had done. They were in an excellent position here, as, if they did not get the bostadvantage one way they conld the other (hear, hear), Mr Buchanan had also helped them very largely in connection with the deputation/and ho took this opportunity of thanking] him (cheers). He hoped Mrßuohauan

would be able to attend the meeting of the Farmer's Club, when theroprc?entative of Nelson Bros would also be hero, and they could thresh the the matter ojt (hear, hear). Mt- Buohanan said the Gear Company would never have pushedforward the business and reduce the charges as their Company had done. Noother had undertaken tho freezing of oattlo in summer, Tliero wasplonty of room for lifelsQn Bros, the Gear Company, and the Company he represented. It might suit some to sell direct to Nelson.Bros, while others would

prefer the advantages offered by the Wellington Company. Mr Oarlile: What does it oost to send dead meat to Wellington? Mr Buchanan: The cost is lis, Mr Carlile; Why should it cost more for doad meat. .Mr Buoban: I cannot understand it, We have tried to get down the freight but there it is.

Mr Crawford; Could the email settlors get rid of their cattle profitably? . Mr'Buchanan; No doubt sheep are the best. The price of our meat depends on the American market. Tho Americans send into England 15,000 head of cattle a week, Tho people who control the beef trade in America think nothing of sacrificing the cattle thoy send to England to keep up tho price at Home. Personally speaking I hayo found the export of meat profitable, and my last returns were,' 18s per lOOlbs. Tho Amerioans cannot under-sell us, and the market for moat -must improve, I must admit that there is a much better prospect for mutton, and do not consider we have anything to fear from America. I keep a lot of cattle with my sheep, and have found it profitable in keeping the land in good condition. I would advise every sbeepfarinor to Keep cattle also.". :'■■•, Mr Baker:" How does your company dispose of the meat ? ' ; - Mr Buchanan i We shall: shortly issue'- 1 applications fov ■ epaoe, and

arrongo thotu as for as possible.* Our operations do not extond to'the disposal, of the;moat in the English market,'' as'.weileayfthe settlers to arrange - their "own; agent, but we

arrange it if required,: The charges for selling in London amount to a third of a penny per lb. There is no difficulty in obtaining advances. The

insurance is now reduced to.OOs from

receiving the meat at the works till a month after delivery in London, Mr Baker: Any settler could

choose hisown market then.? Ihave been under the impression the ships' cargoes have been sold in bulk and

sold to the wholesale men who sell to the retailers, :. Mr Buchanan: Lines of considerable size ba,ve ; been bought and stored and then sold by the Smithfield dealers, but not a cargo in bulk, Speculators have BenT out commissions to buyior them here, and' they retail in London, My agent sells

according to the state of the market either in Smithfield or Birmingham or anywhere else. The Gear Coy has a resident agent in London. Mr Oarlile: How is it the .Canter-

bury mutton is quoted higher ? Sir Buchan:—They have some of the merino breed in their sheep, which gives a better carcase than our coarse lbngwools. The Canterbury company is on tho same line as ours and from the commencement they drew the line at all inferior meat, no matter who owned it, The result was (Jonterbury mutton came to be

depended oh. In the North Island that was not so. The Gear Coy took any mutton sent to it, and we had to follow suit, hence the difference, Canterbury has now two companies, and the last one has taken anything, The first company had to follow suit, but it brands it according to. quality. Mr Leithead; Do the London salesmen who deal in frozen meat distribute the meat ? Mr Buohanan: You'll see in Smithfield English, Dutoh and New Zealand meat.

Mr Leitbead: When I left Home the Scotch farmers though it absurd to think meat could be sent from New Zealand to London. They have learned differently to their cost. • Mr Buchanan: Much money has been mado by London butoliers dealing in frozen meat. New Zealand mutton has been sold as English while River Plate, whioh is inferior has been sold as New Zealand meat. It is a difficult thing to legislate against, but I do not think we lose much as our mutton hs at present sold as English. •Mr Loithead: Is. the mutton largely sent out into the provinces ?

' Mr Buchanan: A friend of mine found it as far as Oban in the West Highlands of Scotland. Mr Troup stated that tho quantity of sheep frozen from here last year was 19,958,5051 lambs, 1758 cattle, showing an increase iu one year of 11,697 sheep, 8051 lambs, 718 cattle at total increas of 14,748 head of stock.

Mr Buchanan expressed surprise at so large an increase. He asked if they had much loss from kngworin? Several settlers gave instances of losses on the open county but not in the bush.

Mr Buchanan said when tlio pasture got older they would find it different, He-bad taken steps to get the Government to inquire into the matter. Mr Elliott said Mr Gaisford had lost COO from it, Mr Leithead said on some of the runs they had lost two or three thousand.

Mr Elliott said lie had not lost any, He had changed them frequently. Mr Leithead said it was on old pastures and by overstocking the raisohief was done. A conversational discussion then took place. Mr Buchanan pointed out that the fluctuations of the market were not what they were. He considered they would be able to get the' steamship companies to do away with the differential freights. Mr Troup proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Buchanan for bis trouble in coming up and giving them the information he had done.. j He hoped to sea him at the dinner of I the Farmers' Club. ■ Mr Carlile secondedi Mr Buchanan expressed his pleasure at seeing so many present, They might ask what brought him there. The interest of every shareholder in the company of which he was chair-

man was a nothing compared with the interest they had iu stock and land, and the more settlers who Bent stoqk- through the Company the hotter it enabled the shareholders to bring about the desirable end of a reduction in charges. The Company would be glad to put through as many stock as they chose to send, and lie hoped it would be to the mutual advantage of all of them.