NEW ZEALAND, MEAT IN LONDON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2683, 13 December 1909, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND, MEAT IN LONDON.

MEETING OF SHEEPFARMERS

About twenty sheepfarmers and others interested met in the Farmers’ OiUb room, on Saturday afternoon. ,jli\ AV. D. Lysnar presided. He said the , meeting was called to see wliat means coulu be taken to regulate the meat supply and control in London, and, indirectly, to consider the question of freights. The sale of their meat had not been satisfactory, and. from the “Scotsman,” (an authoritative Home paper) it was learned that the sale was £2,500,000 less this year than last year. This was the mutton market, the beef had been better maintained. There were many conflicting interests at Home that made the mutton difficult to put right. If a proper stand was taken he thought they could, break down the combination and put the sale on a better basis. If the farmers united, on'the question they'would be successful. Through the want of control at Home the insurances were being raised on them and claims for damages were made amounting from 10 per cent, to 13 per cent. Going into the method of sales at Home, the speaker said when sheep were sent Home- the price was fixed by the storeman at the, freezing chamber, and no auction was held. The buyer of any lot, after fixing a bargain, made claim for damages, and after getting'-the claim for that,- would get a second arbitration on the same parcel., The system of valuing, was also: wrong. The speaker had had a conversation with a gentleman conversant with the matters at Homo, and was assured that claims.wore allowed for damages wjiere no damage Some -of the methods existing at /the SmitlifkHld markets were quoted, and continuing, the speaker said an endeavor had been made to notify the insurance companies that claims were allowed that were not justifiable. The insurance companies said that if the claims were made they would r ay them, and if they were too "heavy the rates would be raised. The sequel was that the rates were being raised next month, and their policies would also be made practically valueless. A united stand was' necessary, and they should not experience any difficulty with the mercantile firms and banks. Tlie farmers should have a say tliat a depot should he secured at Home where all New Zealand meat should. go, hut before going the meat should he graded' and when tire meat arrived Home it should be valued. The High Commisioner should then state the value from day to day, as was done with -the butter market. If they could regulate' their flutter why should they not regulate their mutton and so control and have protection. All that was necessary was to ask the Government that all meat should be graded, from one end of the colony to the other, and then let it go. to a dejret at Home, and he thefe valued by the High Commissioner’s staff. An instance was then quoted of what had been done, by a small committee, in reducing wool freights. Figures showed that when the freight committee started, in 3896, there was a charge of 25s 2d per bale averaging 440 lbs. In 1897 the committee got to work to the price dropped to 19s 3d by steamer, ana 11s 5d 'by sailer. In 1899 at was 16s 3d. in 1903 it was 14s sd, and in 1907 22s 8d for steamer. The steamer charge was raised, but for sailers it was 16s 2d, and it had been •down to 12s. In 1908 they started to load steamers and freights had gone in this year to 15s 2d. The total saving for the period quoted had been £1,620,000. The committee were now sending steamers away and he hoped that every farmer with a spark of patriotism would assist the committee by sending Home in their steamers, one of which, the Clan MacFarlane, was coming to Gisborne towards the end of the mouth. It was not desired that •these operations should affect the mercantile firms or the banks, hut the farmers should have the first consideration and should be able to send Home by any steamer they liked. They should’ have legislation to make it illegal tor their agents to get commissions from the shipping companies for sending Home in their vessels. The freight by the shipping companies was, for greasy wool 7-x6d and 10 per cent, primage duty, while the mittee charged 7-16 d but only o per cent, primage duty. For sliped wool there was also a saving of l-16d. He uid not want friction with the mercantile companies, but they should not be allowed to use the farmers to thenown advantage. (Hear, hear.) The Chairman then proposed the following resolution : ‘ ‘ ‘ “That in the opinion of this meeting the time has -arrived for the farmers throughout the whole Dominion to jrake a united move to secure both iegf !a.tion and- control of.the frozen, nupt. t'-ado, and with that object this, meeting approves of; the- following tions: — (.i i That steos should be tao.cn to con'•oi trato our- exports of .meat- to depot in London, so far as possi i e. (ID Regulate.. , shipments,ap. far, as |H rsibld, from New Zealand to suit requirements and stocks held m London and afloat. • . (c) To obtain legislation compelling all freezing ivories to grade up to a uniform Government standard, and to have the meat valued at liohie by the High Commissioner’s staff in the same 'manner' that: butter cheese aie now graded and valued. That it be a request from this meeting to the 1 indent' of the Farmers’ Union for the Dominion, asking him to have this resolution", brought before all branches of Farmers’ Unions throughout the Dominion 1 and ask them to support the Lame; and that a cpny of the resolution be forwarded to all the freezing companies carrying on business m the Dominion, asking their co-operation and support imthis matter.” In answer to a question, Mr. Lysmu* said it was correct that the Hon. 1. McKenzie lind selected a site near the market, London, for a coql store, and propose erecting a store with a. 40ft depth oil a whole, acre. Ho had also arranged to let offices on top to bring in £3OOO a year—almost enough to pay the interest on the whole venture. \ v : ~ In answer to. Mr.. H. H. AA all. the Chairman said that if the one depot was not sufficient they would have to have another depot) ' ' • '• Tlie resolution was seconded by Mr. Wall, who spoke on the desirability of sending Home monthly shipments. He ouotpd figures showing the- rise and fall in the price of vneat owing To the' irregular supply, and said he had been informed by a London buyer that there was no reason why the pi-ice should not remain uniform if. monthly shipments, were arranged. ■> Mr. J. C. Field spoke on the handling of meat at the other end. Hethought that if, ..the matter could ho controlled by the Commissioner’s staff, it was time they got to yfbrk.. He thought that a. select committee should bo formed here, and the matter be gone icarefully ' • “ The resolution, on being, put to the meeting, was carried

unanimously, and 1 the following committee was appointed: Messrs. R. Sherrutt, AV. D. Lysnar, J., C. Field, <p. J. Parker, H. H. Wall, T. Holden, P.i MeLoughliu, and C- Matthews. It was also decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Prime Minister, the Hon. T. McKenzie, arid the member for "this district. <* A vote, of thanks to tlie Chairman for tlie trouble he had taken in gathering the information -concluded tliemeeting. The committee then he’d a'meeting.