H.—l7a.

1908. NEW ZEALAND.

DISTRIBUTION OF NEW ZEALAND MUTTON IN ENGLAND (MEMORANDA FROM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER RELATIVE TO).

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave. The Hioh Commissioner to the Right Hon. the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London, S.W., 6th November, 1907. Sir, — Meat-distribution. With reference-to my memo. No. 4991, dated 28th November, concerning the development of the distribution of River Plate mutton by American meat companies that have hitherto devoted their attention solely to chilled beef from the United States, I beg to inform you that, since writing, the question of the Meat Trust and its methods has been receiving considerable attention from the Press in this country. In an interview which I gave the Westminster Gazette last week I was able, while drawing attention to the large suppHes of mutton and lamb shipped from New Zealand, to emphasize the fact that, however much the American Meat Trust might monopolize the supply and raise the price of beef, there was no chance of this, being done in regard to mutton and lamb. I forward herewith cuttings from the Westminster Gazette of the 30th November, giving the interview referred to, together with further cuttings from other newspapers dealing with the subject. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Premier, Wellington, New Zealand. W. P. Reeves.

[Westminster Gazette, 30th November, 1907.] Meat Trade Crisis. —No Rise likely in Mutton and Lamb. Considerable anxiety has been occasioned of late by the rise in the price of meat, and we propose next week to publish some articles on the subject dealing with the matter in relation particularly to the prices of beef and the causes which have sent these up and are likely to send them higher still. When, however, there is talk of a meat trust, of a monopoly in meat, and so forth, it is important to draw a distinction, and to bear in mind that meat includes not only beef, but also mutton and lamb, which are not by any means likely to be cornered. : 'H So much was made plain by Mr. Pember, Reeves, the always alert High Commissioner for New Zealand, mTthe course of a chat which he was good enough to afford to a Westminster representative yesterday. " Mr. Reeves is interested in the of course, by reason of the fact that such a large proportion of the mutton and lamb supply of the world comes from Australia and New Zealand, and it was reassuring to learn on suchf/excellent authority that, however the matter' may stand in regard to beef —-thanks to the efforts ; ofc the American trust which has now obtained such control of the market— there is not the least probability of the lamb and mutton supplies being similarly controlled. Mr. Reeves put the matter very clearly by means of some figures which he has had got out, and which may be taken, therefore, as authoritative. In the case of beef there is no question as to the vast preponderance of the supply coming from American —North and South. Thus, whereas in 1906 New Zealand exported 121,858 quarters, and Australia 13,112, there came from the Argentine alone 1,768,315. So far as beef goes it is idle to look to Australia to provide an alternative supply to that which is controlled by the great American firms.

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