FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3131, 30 January 1911, Page 2

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

MR. VV. D. LYSNAR IN CHRISTCHURCH. • AN ADDRESS TO THE CANTERBURY FARMERS. Mr W. D. Lysnar, of Gisborne, gave an address in the Agricultural and Pastoral Association Rooms, Canterbury, last week, touching on some aspects of tho frozen meat trade. The meeting was lieldl under the . auspices of the North Canterbjirp Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, and the chairman of the Evecutive (Mr 0. E. Clothier) occupied the chair.

The Chairman referred briefly to the charges which Mr Lysnar and others had made regarding the handling and storing of frozen meat at Home, and thanked Mr Lysnar for accepting the invitation to speak there. Mr Lysnar after strongly urging the producers to become acquainted with the true position, and insist upon a necessary reform, dealt with the prices of New Zealand meat at Home, and detailed the results of the investigations made by a committee of New Zealanders in London, including Messrs H. E. Reece and A. W. Rutherford, of Canterbury, and Mr Leslie, McHardy, of Hawke’s Bay. He said that fifteen years ago a Mr Or be 11 and a Mr Nathan urged the Government and people to take up this subject, and strangely enough made similar statements to those he had made recently. In 1901 Mr. F. J. Shelton made charges alleging bad handling, and excessive fluctuation of the market on account of insufficient storage and consequent forced realisation. These things existed to-day, and would go on for the next- fifteen years if the producers in New Zealand l remained lethargic. The producers must take the lead, or they would get no help from the merchants. The storage m London was totally inadequate. If there had been sufficient storage in London there would have been no reason for the slump of 1909, when New Zealand lost so heavily. It had been said that the slump was caused by over supply, but the price for Scottish and Englisb meat remained steady, while New Zealand steadilv dcelined to 2gd. After exhaustively dealing with the handling -of frozen produce at Home, both in the ships and barges, and during conveyance to, and at the meat stores, Mr Lysnar went on to criticise the freezing charges in London, which were practically double what they should be. The charge was £1 0s 9d per ton, which represented a loss of £54,697 to the Dominion. Another loss was that a deduction of 2!b on each sheep, and lib on each lamb, and 21b on enen quarter of beef was made, and tins meant a loss of £174,600 on last year’s export. He bad previously stated that on the whole the producers lost £1,000,000 a year, and be considered when the defects in the cartage and storing were taken into account, as well as the difference between the wholesale and retail prices, that £2,000,000 would be a more accurate estimate of the loss. Having dealt with the unsatisfactory handling of wool at Home, and outlined the promises given for reform, by the chairman of the Port Authority, Lord Devonport, Mr Lysnar urged the necessity for storage accommodation for at least 1,000,000 carcases. He detailed the principal matters requiring attention and improvement (already referred to in the “Times’"), and concluded by exhibiting a large number of lantern slides illustrative of the handling, storing, and marketing of frozen meat at Home. In reply to a question, Mr Lysnar stated that in his opinion it would not he long before New Zealand meat would be allowed 1 into Germany and that in Marseilles a charge of more than Is per lb was made for indifferent mutton.

In reply to another question, Mr Lysnar said that the method of selling meat in London was discreditable. There was no system, it being left absolutely to the salesmen to fix the price. The salesman had to get rid of his meat, and he would reduce his price to do so. There should be an Advisory Board at Home to fix the weekly value. “New Zealand mutton is the bestmutton of all,” said Mr Lysnar, in reply to another question. “That is admitted by all.” He went on to say that the Argentine scored through its delivery on the market in a cleanei and better condition than New Zealand meat. He never heard any remark that New Zealand mutton was deteriorating. A number of resolutions were then carried, details of which it will be remembered were telegraphed from Christchurch a few days ago, and Messrs C. H. Ensor,, Acton-Adams, J. D. Hall, 0. F. Clothier, Lusconrbe, and Roberts were appointed a committee to forward tho matters mentioned in the resolutions and Mr Lysnar’s report. In reply to Mr. J. D. Hall, Mr Lysnar said that the committee should deaf with any question of interest to the trade, but he thought it would be a good thing if they followed on the lines of the no them committee already appointed 1 . A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mr M. Murphy, was passed to Mr Lysnar for his address. Mr Lysnar is expected to return to Gisborne on Wednesday morning.