The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, JAN. 26, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2581, 26 January 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, JAN. 26, 1889.

Equal and exact lustice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

«■ We referred in Tuesday's issue to the departure from Auckland, on the piwious Sunday, of the direct steamer Tainui, with a full cargo of frozen meat forwarded by the New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company. The bulk of this shipment was on consignment on behalf of the growers. The successful despatch of this steamer direct for London is due to the special invitation of the Company made to the stock-owners of the Waikato a few months ago, which was, as we have just seen, liberally responded to. A second shipment will be made next month, and it is then anticipated that the quantity of meat to be exported will exceed the Tainui's cargo by fifty thousand pounds. This is very satisfactory, and may lie taken as an earnest of the intentions of the settlers to lend all the assistance in their power to develope this important industry, or, we should rather say, that they are resolved to encourage the industry to establish itself as firmly in the north as it has done in the south of the colony. It is greatly to the interests of Waikato graziers to be very active in the promotion of such an industry; and their attention need not be confined to supplying the Home markets. There are wide and profitable fields for the enterprise much nearer their doors, with largo possiblities, as will be seen from the following paragraph taken from a southern contemporary : Mr Warden Harry Graves, cattle salesman, of Sydney, has written to a well known settler on the Waimate Plains to the following effect :—•" Fat cattle have risen considerably during the last three or four markets, and prime beef is now worth 25s per 1001b?, and my ©pinion is that it will get much higher within the next few weeks. If you have any fat cattle I feel justified in recommending you to ship them here. I would suggest your sending a small shipment first as a trial. Fat cattle are going to be very dear in New South Wales, the drought lias been so bad. Already Sydney people are talking about going to New Zealand to buy cattle. They will get dearer and clearer here, and very clear as autumn and winter advance." This should be gratifying intelligence to graziers in this district. Taken in conjunction with the letter from Mr Bennett, head of one of the leading butchering establishments in Melbourne, published in our issue of January Bth, in which he states that he alone is prepared to take 100 carcases of New Zealand beef per week, it should inspire every confidence in the pi'ospects of the meat export trade*. The Hawera Star, commuting on Mr Graves' letter, states that a combination of exporters is contemplated in that districtfor the purpose of feeding the Australian markets. This is precisely the course that should be adopted here ; though two ways are open to us. The first is, for the Waikato Farmers' Association, who represent a combination, and are acting on the co-operative principle, to give the subject mature consideration and decide whether they, also, cannot become direct shippers of fat stock to Sydney and Melbourne. The other plan is for the Freezing Company to forward shipments of frozen meat to those markets. In consequence of the disastrous effects of the drought on Australian stock, and in the face of the high prices ruling in the stock markets at rates likely to be sustained for a lengthened period and the evident fact of a growing demand for prime beef for immediate consumption, there is no doubt that the Company would find the export of frozen meat to those colonies a safe and paying venture. An admirable opportunityis here presented to both the Company and farmers, who by pulling together, can do well for themselves and give a fresh fillip to, and expand, the pastoral and frozen meat industries in this part of the colony.