THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5054, 18 June 1895, Page 2

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

AN OPINION FROM MR C. PHARAZYN.

Recently in a conversation with the London correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, Mr 0. Pharazyn said :

" I am afraid we must clearly recognise, that we cannot keep either mutton or buttor for an indefinite period withoutseriouslossof quality, It was once supposed that when mutton was frozen it could be loft in a cold chamber for years without deteriorating. This is now proved to be a grave mistake. Moat oVs deteriorate very much when i« long in a refrigerator, and we shall have to face the fact. We must have prompt- sales, and make up our minds that if the meat will not sell at a good price now it will sell for still less after long storage, and leave us out of pocketforthecharges as well." " Before there was such extensive provision for cold storage," continued Mr Pharazyn," the agents at this end could stop excessive shipments, But with such vast space available for cold storage, it is very difficult to prevent Colonial producers shipping Home the meat to their own detriment. But this has done, and is doing tho trade great harm, and it is hopeless to look for any material improvement in prices, until matters are put on a more satisfactory footing." " What we want," he said, "is a more vigorous and judicious pushing of the meat at this end, prompt sales, and no storage. These are the reforms chiefly needed. And then they are freezing all sorts of sheep that ought never to be itt Home. The reason is, that sufh expensive freezing works have been erected in New Zealand, that it is often impossible to keep them going with the sheep properly suited for exportation, and so they freeze all nud sundry to keep the work going, The carcases are sent to England, ami proving to be inferior in quality or of tho wrong size, give tho meat, generally a bad name and bring' down tho prices." " I had a long talk the other day," continued Mr Pharazyn, " with Mr Hastings Miller, who is a very largo operator in the dairy produce trade. He expressed a very strong opinion that New Zealand cannot hope to compete favourably with Denmark, as regards butter - adducing the reasons which have worked so adversely during tho past seasonbut that New Zealand's true function is that of a cheese-producer. Homaintains that Denmark cnnnhAs. beat New Zealand in the butteimarket, but that New Zealand cam easily hold her own with cheese,"

"But," continued Mr Pharazyir,, " the main thing in whatever branch, of trade we touch is superior quality; Wo must improve our quality if v-o are to keep our markets. People may bo slow and behindhand in many ways over here, but thoy do things well, and everything is reduced almost to an exact science. Whether we send from Now Zealand wool or meat or butter oi' cheese or fruit, it must all be uniformly of the best quality and suitably and attractively packed, or else we may as 'veil leave it alone. Nothing but the best is worth sending to London." These hints from one of Now Zealand's shrewdest and ablest colonists; ought to be carefully noted in Now Zealand. To their truth and soundness I am able to bear the lassfc emphatic testimony, » Remarking on the excelle-at quality of the American chilled heef -which is certainly equal to any. thing 1 have tasted oitherin England or in New Zealand-I asked Mr Pharazyn whether New Zealand could not enter into this field also, "Not yet," ha replied, "at present beef fetches too good a price in Now Zealand, for exporting to pay. Unless our cattle should inoroaso greatly, it would not be worth while exporting beef, and just now the cattle seem to bo rather decreasingthan i'lcreasing, owing to tho uso of milk for dairy purposes instead of in. rearing the calves, No; there is; nothing to be done at present in New Zealand beef."

Mr Phamzyn exprcsscdhis opinion that the reappearance of the barbed wire staples in recont shipments o/meat, was due to a lot of old stock long in store, having been sentHouae and not to the continued use of these lethal insfcruments-although he did not apply this opprobrious lang m^ The recent large arrivals of frU mutton have for the present completely upset all hope of any immediiito improvement in prices j in fact the refrigorating stores are already becoming congested, and there will be somo difficulty in providing storage accommodation for the next fow weeks. So Messrs H. Fitter &Son» inform m e> (adds the cornspomlen) And they give this rather disheartening information • " Unfortunately we have also to report a very serious discovery that lias just been made- namely, tW many of the New Zealand sheep and tombs are unsound; some are only tainted, hut oihen are perfectly green putrid. As m have before pomled ont, it i s almost, mposßible, a many cases, to detect, this unsoundness before the carcase' is cufcup; consequently, asmany of those have been sent all oyer the : wuutry, it i a causing our customersmuch niconveuienceand loss of trade., home of theshipments lately to hand ; 1 have wheu discharged had a veiy stalei appearance, and bayebeen veilmuch off colour; this bU time vA tbo market is overstocked'has a verF damaging effect on pricea."