MEAT MARKET SLUMP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2557, 19 July 1909, Page 4

MEAT MARKET SLUMP.

NO REDUCTION TO CONSUMER'S PROBABLE. (Per Press Association., ■ K AUCKLAND, July 17. The glut in the London meat market is S ffiy to lead to tho householder <>bt hil?kolfd al ?pne < i'r nn £i tho cxc«*s oi g supplirover tK demand at Homo would Result in a decrease of exports from New Zealand and consequently a greater supply to the local martete. That would mean cheaper jarc.isc., butchers and should mean expen. sive meat to the consume). Anywaj, that is the point of view most bul^ n customers will naturally take. - the question comes to be looked into, however, the apparently obvious conclusion has to be modified, for one reason or another. The caolegraws as to the condition of the Home marker, “Herald"’ reporter to make mqiiriS as to the probable, effect of the Pr Mr nt Stringer, local secretary of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Co., stated that it had come, fortunately, at a time when there was not stock for export. This was the time of year when stock and meat were always dearest. It would be January before the export season set up again, and by that time, ft was “ be hoped, the glut would be over'at Home, and the demand normal once more. As it was now a between--1 seasons” period, butchers would hj benefit to any extent, as tat fetoch was not offering in the proportion R was in the flush of the season. Should the slump last until the of the next export season, farmers would, he thought, have no option bur to bring down their prices. Auckland, he pointed cut, exported very little mutton. It was nearly all lambs now. Lamb v'as not a household commodity to any extent, though no doubt, if it were cheaper, it would be more largey bought by families. Discussing the relative prices of meat to the consumer I here and to the Home consumer. Jlr. Stringer remarked that it had to e remembered that the Home quotation j for mutton at say 3d per ib represented the wholesale price for a line of carcases. The English buyer did not purchase merely a leg of mutton at tnat price, but 100 sheep or more. In the case of the local butcher he bought at catch prices, guessing the weight of the sheep or lamb. Even though lie got 6d per lb for a leg of mutton, that was not to say that he averaged xliat price for the whole sheep as he bought it. The point was often.raised, but the householder at Home did not necessarily get his New Zealand mutton cheaper than the New Zealander. He might pav as much as 8d per lb for it. However, it would be difficult to get at the price of meat to the local butcher in his shop. It was not only the butcher but the farmer who kept prices up. Inquiries made amongst representatives of the butchering trade went to show that, glut or no glut, retail prices are not at all likely to be reduced. The slump has come along since the exporters sold out their last shipment, and many of them are now bewailing their ill-luck. The present effect, however. is mostly felt by the large-sheep and stock owners, who deal practically in bulk, and shte direct to the Homemarkets in preference to doling out their stock to the- local trade. _ her this reason, the butchers say, it is not at all likely that they will he able to sell at reduced prices. They argue ■that the slump will not tempt the “large growers” to split up their flocks and deal them out piecemeal, even were the slump to last until the next export season. So far as lambs ar« concerned it was not thought probable there would be any reduction in price?. The growers would simply hold their lambs back and sell at a later opportunity as mutton. The following is the cable message referred to above:— LONDON, July 14. A meeting of New Zealand and Australian meat importers, Mr. George Goodsir presiding, discussed the glut and the serious decline of prices. Without exacting individual pledges, the meeting approved of the principle of abstaining experimentally for the next ten days from selling Canterbury of less than 361 b under 4d, 36ib to 42H* under 3id, 421 b to 501 b under 3id, and choice North Island and Southland at id less for each grade. Speakers did not believe that these fixtures would check sales. Mr. Geodsir estimated that a million carcases were now stored. It was resolved to ask the New Zealand Government to undertake the systematic advertising oi" the meat during the continuance of the glut, in the interests of the Dominion's trade.