The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1882.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 632, 4 August 1882, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1882.

THE FROZEN MEAT COMPANY.

Thk Frozen Meat Company hove a great work behre them, the importance* of which can hardly be overrated. In the Christ church papers there have been letters on the subject, in which correspondents quarrel as to whether the value of merinos is increased Is Gd or :is, and whether the value of crossbr* ds is increased 4s or 6s ; but all arc agreed that the success of the Dunedin shipment meant a large increase in the value of stock, and consequently of land. Amongst all the Communications which have appeared on the subject, the most valuable by far, in our opinion, is that of Mr James Hay, which appeared in our issue of the 25th of last month. That gentleman has had great opportunities. He thoroughly understands our position here, and he saw the Dunedin's shipment on its arrival in England, heard all the Home criticisms, and formed his own opinion. ■ There is one part of that opinion we should like to bring forward most prominently, and that is, his conversation with Mr Davidson, of the Levels, Tiinaru. Speaking of this, he says :— " In the first place, he strongly recommends that the slaughtering and freezing should be curried on aa near to the ship's side as possible. Me says that the Melbourne and Dunedin people iiave erected their buildings too far from the ship, for when the meat has to be carried seven or eight miles from the freezing chamber to the ship, that the sheep are sure to ' thaw' more or less, nnd then they get into the ship all out of shape, and of course are landed in the same manner, and if the} r go into the London market out of shape, even supposing the mutton is in good order in other respects, it makes a material difference in price." Now, xtq understand the company are thinking of erecting their works at Belfast, which is nine miles from the Christchurch station, or, in other words, 15 or 16 miles from the ship! Kow, if the Dunedin people, who have erected theii buildings,only seven or eight miles from the ship, have made an error, sur. ly the Canterbury people are going to commit a greater one in building theirs 15 or 16 miles away from the vessels that are to receive the carcasses. The question therefore crops up, Where is the best place ? and we are of opinion that Akaroa is by far the most suitable in Canterbury. A site could be purchased somewhere near the head of the harbor at a moderate price, and, thanks to our splendid harbor, the ship to remove the carcasses could be anchored close to the shore, so that there would be no time for the meat to thaw during its transmission from the factory to the ship. It is true that the stock would have to be driven a little further, in many cases, but. to balance that, the ship would have to pay no harbor dues ; and, after all, from the great Southbridge and southern district it would be little further ; and suppose sufficiently moderate rates were charged, the railway could hi utilised to Little River, which means a present distance of 14 or 15, but, when the next section, now about to be tendered for, is completed, only a distance of seven or eight miles from the sea, if so far. The matter is at any rate; worth a thought, and we recommend its consideration to all those interested. Exempt from those scorching nor'westers which would spoil meat in transit from Belfast In th-.: ship, possessm. l .; , a harbor wh?re, lot trie; winds blow as they please, there is never any sea to. stop shipping, and where, no harbor dues are imposed, and possessing , numberless sites near the shores suitable for the erection of a factory of the kind, Akaroa certainly seems admirably adapteii to be the site of the company's operations, or at li-ast of a part of them. Let us hope these advantage!-; will v.-:,t be overlooked by those most interested in the success of the schema.