THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2534, 6 October 1888, Page 3

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Tan middlemen have played their game so well and so long that, as Mr Douglas (a gentleman writing in the Dmiedin Star) says, the difficulty of now placing the trade upon a sound footing is very much increased. It is obvious that it is so, and yet the remedy can be applied, and "growers and shippers will, if united in their action, succeed in extricating themselves from the trammels which at present involve the business in mystery and ruinous loss." Alluding primarily to the opeiations of the New Zealand Frozen Meat Company, Mr Douglas says : — That the curnpany's present mode of disposing of the mutton is anomalous I will illustrate : Would shippers of wool be content to send their several clips to any large manufacturer, and leave him to pay them what he chose to give besides charging them a commission for so doing. I answer that to do so would be looked upon r.s nn act of insanity, and would be courting the ruin which would deservedly and inevitably follow. Well this is just what our company has been and is doing. True the loss through Messrs Bell and Sons is not so heavy as was that through Messrs Nelson Bros., and may be compared to getting out of the fire by escaping into the frying-pan. Some parties have argued that selling through Messrs Bell and Sons, who had 250 shops of their own, gave great facilities ; but those facilities cut two ways apparently. It was only the other day that Messrs Bell and Sons sold the goodwill of their shop or business to a limited company tor £300,000, whde at thesaine time growers have been finding their returns the reverse of profitable. The loss of weights alone, although more particularly during Messrs Nelson Bros', regime, naturally assisted in effecting these bad results. But, to call a spado a spade, I unhesitatingly say it would be placing the company, as well as the Messrs Bell or any other house in a false'position to ask them as agents to sell for us our mutton to themselves. The principle is wrong and rotten to the core, and that the results hitherto have been most disastrous is not to be wondered at; the wonder would have been had it been otherwise. Not being on the spot prevents one tracing individual transactions, but take as an illustration :—A few weeks ago an English medical expert pronounced New Zealand frozen mutton more wholesome than English, the New Zealand being fed upon the natural products, and not on oilcake and other artificial food, as is the caso with the Home mutton. This, coupled with the falling off of supplies from South America and the backward season for fattening in Great Britain, haYf the effect of emptying the frozen mutton chambers in London. If we then had had an agent in London, engaged in our interests exclusively, handling our mutton, would this advent not have afforded the opportunity of ringing the changes, and laising the price to something like its real normal value, which has not been the caso for many a long day? But, no, our agents anticipate the advance, and secure by cablegram the bulk of the I'ifeshire's shipment at less than the then market price. I protested against this on principle, ana pointed out at the time that the otherwise inevitable further rise would be checked, and the result, to use a Stock Exchange term, would be to " bear the market," and my prediction has unfortunately proved to be too true. It is not genuine business for a man as agent to be buyer of the article and seller of it to himself at one and the same time. The passages which we have quoted may well be taken to heart by others besides the New Zealand Frozen Meat Company, the remedy, as pointed out by $lr Poujjlas, is tUe appointment at

Home, " exclusive'y in onr own interest" a responsible, capable man to take charge of the whole of our shipments, and who, while ready to sell to butchers and middlemen, would at the same time offer facilities to suitable, enterprising men, for the opening of New Zealand frozen meat stores in densely populated districts, he guaranteeing to supply them at a fixed price." Mr Douglas also strongly urges the necessity of [indelibly fire-branding as New Zealand each shank bone of the mutton sent home, and selling it as such. Timaru Herald.