INTRODUCTION. 



One of the most important questions at the present time, when 

 the peace negotiations are settled, is that which forms the subject 

 matter of this book. Everybody wants to know what is going to 

 be the position of the meat supply, and all sorts of prognostications 

 are being given expression to. No one should have a better idea of 

 the possibilities of stock raising in various countries than Mr. A. 

 W. Pearse. For twenty-seven years he has been closely identified 

 with the meat industry, not only in Australia, but in most of the 

 stock raising countries of the world. The newspaper of which 

 he is the editor and proprietor {The Pastoral Review) circulates 

 in all stock countries, and I don't suppose there are many men 

 interested in the meat trade, who do not eagerly look for and 

 read the information he supplies. His paper alone has well- 

 paid "representatives and experts in most countries where stock 

 are reared, and direct and authentic information and tables of 

 exports are regularly forwarded by them. So satisfied are the 

 meat firms of Australia and New Zealand with his capability 

 and knowledge, that on two occasions he has been the represen- 

 tative of all the meat exporting companies of Australia and New 

 Zealand at International Congresses, the first in Paris, in 1908, 

 and the second in Chicago, in 1913. At the last conference, he 

 also represented the Federal Government of Australia, and read a 

 paper on the world's meat export trade before a vast gathering of 

 experts from all over the world. Most of his knowledge has 

 been gained first hand, he has visited the States of South America 

 and Africa several times, and when the war broke out, was 

 booked for a trip through Siberia to gather information and 

 prospects there. Thei-e may be readers who will not agree Avith 

 all his conclusions, but I have no doubt the infoi-mation he gives 

 will add largely to our knowledge of what we can expect in the 

 way of meat supplies in the near future. The Pastoral Review, 

 of which he is editor, is certainly looked upon by those con- 

 cerned in the trade, as the standard paper and "enquire 

 within" for all matters connected with live stock and meat 

 exports in all parts of the world. 



E. Owen Cox, K.B.E. 



Commonwealth Meat Administrator. Deputy ControUer 

 of Overseas Shipping. Member of the Commonwealth 

 Government Shipping Board. Chairman of The Over- 

 seas Central Committee, which has the disposition of 

 the -whole of the tonnage loading oversea from Aus- 

 tralia and British Government tonnage. Director in 

 Australia for the Federal Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., 

 and Chairman of Directors of Birt & Co. Ltd., Aus- 

 tralia. Chairman of the Australian Frozen Meat Ship- 

 ping Committee for the Imperial Government. 



Sydney, Nov. 6. 1918. 



