The Frozen Meat Trade in London.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 1919, 23 October 1884, Page 3

The Frozen Meat Trade in London.

The trade still shows few signs of amination, bnt the cooler weather and the earl}' return to London of a large section of the holiday-makers will probably induce an early improvement. Supplies are abundant, so much so, in fact, that recent heavy arrivals from New Zealand have affected the piico of sheep all over the country. Mos>t of the shipments which have recently come into port are in a sounder and nioie satisfactory condition than some came forward earlier in the year. During July 30,341 cwt. of mutton arrived from New Zealand, as against 8,420 cwt. received in the corresponding month in 1883. As some doubt is often expressed as to whether the amount of stock at gresent in New Zealard is sufficient to keep the frozen meat business going at such a rate, the results of the latest sheep census available may be quoted. It is up to May 3, 1883. The figures at that date were as follows ; — Merino, 3,250,733 males, 4,004,499 females --total. 7,315,232. Longwool, 432,322 males, 769,417 females-total, 1,201,739. Cross-bred, 1,837,502 males, 2,951,850 femalea— total, 4,789,358. This number, together with the increase in pasturage, and the greater amount of attention now given to breeding, will supply frozen cargo for a considerable number ot ves&els — in fact, it will be difficult to find bottoms to keep up with the supply of frozen cargo. It may be as well to mention that some of the Smith'^eld salesmen complain of 'the practice adopted by some New Zealand consignors of sending home hind-quarters and logs cut off the carcase, These, it is said, will not sell at all in the summer, but are suitable 'enough for the market at Christmas ajtd in {in spring, >Xbo Government of the h<\

Plata Republic think of recommending Congress to grant a piomium by way of bounty on the e\poit of frozen meat. Should this bo done, the London market will be flooded with Rner Plate meat. It is already produced under conditions which enable it to be sold at a pi ice consideiably below what would be reinuerative for Australian and New Zealand meat. The Doric's cargo has not been cleared yet. On September 4th 6,300 am-asses out of nearly 10,000 had been sold, the pi ice being from 4jd to 5d for shoep, and s^d to (Jd for lambs. The Victory's cargo was almost cleared, at pricos showing an advance of about Id per lb. The beef bi ought by this vessel sold at from 6d to (>|d for toasting. The [meicargiU's caigo from Lyttelton is turning out in very good older, the sheep being of excellent quality. It is fetching about 4\d la sd. The Mataura's consignmontj and that brought by the Bombay, also from New Zealand, are in excellent condition. The former has been selling at from 5d to s}d, and the latter at Ijd to f)d. The Garonne's caigo, from Melbourne, is now on the iraiket. Tt has brought from 2s lOd to 3s 2d per stone. The Orient's cargo, also Australian, is still m store, " eating its head oft" as a, spoiting salesman lcinaiked. Recently a film paid £1,100 for stoung a caigo of River Plate meat. The Smithfield Refngeiator is not yet at woik. The Gieat Eastern Railway Company aie piepared to lease then maiket at Bishopsgate for tho .stoiage of meat. They would lequire tho lesbees to guai.intee the i ail way company tiie traffic to tho north and east coasts. The &.s. ])uke of "Westminster left Poole Island, Queensland, on July 22, with 200 tons-of frozen meat for the London market. The Ouent .steamer LuMtama, which sailed fiom Melbourne on July 25, had on b0ard 3,832 caicai.es. She armed at London >estcultiy. In the Indian Ocean a fire occuiied in theiefugorator, and was not extinguished for seveial houi^. Some 250 carcases had to be jettisoned. The condition of the lemainder is said to be good, but an examination has yet to bo made. The Ruapehn, with 12,000 cai cases fiom New Zealand, anived ye&tcrday. The meat is lepoited to be in pi hue condition. — Anglo-New Zealander, Sept. 13.