2 I 2 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



and New Zealand trade, having a carrying capacity of over 

 2,500,000 slieep, and equal to tlie conveyance of 6,000,000 sheep a 

 year, there should certainly be no difficulty as to tonnage, and if they 

 could be sure that growers would regulate supplies at this end, there is 

 no doubt that the owners of these seventy-six ships would manage to 

 accommodate themselves to the trade. In fact exporters have it in 

 their own hands whether to be at the beck and call of shipowners, or 

 to have the movements of the vessels governed by the requirements of 

 the trade. As an instance of the irregularity of shipments, it may be 

 mentioned that in the first three months of 1893 there were 386,000 

 frozen carcases delivered in London ; but in the first three months of 

 1894 there were only 210,000 so delivered, while for the remaining 

 nine months of 1894 there were 1,800,000 carcases put ashore in 

 London, as against 1,470,000 in 1893 — a deficiency in the first three 

 months of 170,000, and a surplus in the last nine months of 330,000. 

 JN"o trade can stand this. Again in 1894, owing to a short supply, 

 Queensland beef went up in price, and unfortunately the only Queens- 

 land beef in the market was by no means prime. The result was that 

 buyers turned to American chilled beef, and dropped the Queensland 

 trade, and even lower prices did not bring them back. No attempt 

 seems to have been made in the Colonies to remedy this, though action 

 to that end has been mooted more than once. Obviously much could 

 be done by having abundant cold stoi-age in the Colonies. Better 

 terms could then be made for freight, and the power to hold and to 

 regulate supplies would to a great extent obviate gluts and famines at 

 the other end. 



Cold Storage. 



There is now abundant cold storage in England, and more is being 

 constantly added. It has been estimated that there is already room 

 for 1,200,000 carcases of sheep. In addition to the extensive cold 

 stores in London, there are others at Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, 

 Liverpool, and Cardiff, besides those of Nelson^s, Eastman's, and the 

 Plate. Cold stores have been lately erected at Sheffield, and are 

 being erected at Birmingham and Hull, and it is intended to erect 

 extensive premises at Glasgow and other places. The large new stores 

 being built close to Smithfield will also be of great service to the 

 trade ; at the same time the charges for cold storage are far too high, 

 and the erection of cold stores for the accommodation of New South 

 Wales produce both in the Colony and at the other end is a matter 

 well worth the consideration of our Government. There would be 

 considerable advantage in increasing the cold storage accommodation 

 in the Colony. There would be less probability of deterioration in the 

 meat from exposure, &c., if held at this end, and the accumulation of 

 meat in the Colony would affect prices less than the heavy stocks held 

 immediately under the notice of buyers. The regularity of shipments 

 could also much more easily be secured. 



I)lstrihution. 



The opening of retail shops in the old country for the sale of frozen 

 meat is strongly advocated by some people; but we are of opinion 

 that what is required is an adaptation of the system that obtains in the 



