HANDLING FROZEN MEAT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1065, 2 March 1911, Page 8

HANDLING FROZEN MEAT.

' CONFERENCE SITTING IN. .. ' WELLINGTON. .Yesterday, "at the roirns of the Farmers' : „Uhion,. a - conference' concerning the • meat export trade was held. There were present; /Messrs;'- Wilson :.(who was voted .to .the,chair), W. ,D. L'ysnar, and J.;C. Field. (Gisborne); J. D. Hall. (Christchurch) ;'R. D. D. M'Lean (Napier); D. Bnicfc; M.l'., and. Wingate (Palmerston North); Hugh 'Burrell (Feilding); I and Knight' 'and Walker". (Danncvirke). 1 An apology'was received from Mr. L. H. M'Hardy, ono of .the New Zealand Committee. -Mr.iLysnar moved .the.following resolution "That {his - conference 'affirms the principle of forming a New Zealand Producers' Association, with a view to sending a representative to London." Mr. R. D: £>. M'Lean .secpnded the motion, .which was carried after a long discussion. • The'following resqlution, also, was carried sifter much discussion;—" That pending- the formation of an association, a committee of this conference bo set up to make arrangements for a representative to' go. Home and further the interests of. the -producers, providing the necessary ' guarantee for the expenses can be arranged for." •It was . decided that the committee Bhould consist of the. chairman (Mr. Wilson), Messrs.. Lysnar, M'Lean, M'Hardy, Field, and Knight, -with power to add-to their number..-. . It ,was also decided ■ that the Prime Minister sjmild.'-ho asked, while,in London, to interview. Lord Devonport (the chairman'of the. Port-of .London Authority),'; and. Mr. Hepbern (the chairman of the ; Smithfield Market Committee), and ■ nrge that., the..recommendations', of the New Zealand Committee in relation to imprpvements'in the dock accommodation and storage 'should be given' effect. tp, that storage should be provided not lower down .the ;river than the South-west rhdia Dock; and, further,".that he should 1 ssk th'o High Commissioner and.his officers' to. give. any. representative, sent Home by the ' association, all tho aid in their power, in relation to tho proper handling and . distribution of . New Zealand produce. • It was ..resolved;'-"That'a deputation from this conference should wait on the Hon., T. Mackenzie, arid urge that the necessary legislation, should be. enacted to enable a, sfew'Zealand Producers' Association, to be formed, representative-of the!wholo Dominion to,further the inter-ests-of the New Zealand producers in the Dominion and elsewhere, also to discuss the'' best- ways and-, means of providing, the expense for • same." - ■ • < • •The conference then considered tlie question of what should be done in' New Zealand;to. improve the handling of frozen 1 produce. -The following recommendations .were agreed, to:—."One' of:'the ,first'i-things. is to .entirely K, i"W with 'slings. ' Meat should be lifted -by means of boxes, with a flappoor at either end, .such as are used in he Argentine. The Hise of a sling tends to break the carcass by beading it, and If tfie.sliny strikes the,side of tho vessel or.; the~ deck the shanks are likely to get broken: ~.'■ ,' . . .■

'(Another recommendation.-/:is that .all meat Should bear a.leaden mark, similar to those at present''used''by one of the Chris't'church meat companies. The mark should"* ba attached with wire, so that when.the wire isnindo'nc the leaden brand wbuldj "break .upland, thus 'prevent the b'riind< on N6w Zealand meat from being removed, and placed on inferior meat from another country, which is largely done at present* ..Then again,: each freezing -works should'have a'distinctive covering ;f6r. their meat, either by a' bag wholly.- covered or marked by means of n coloured stride. A suggestion has been made that an indeli,ble stamn should bo ■used-on the main joints, sucli as is done ih-tho'abattoirs at present with tho meat for local, sale, but it is not clear that the ■ time has properly arrived for this to be" adopted; but if it does not come now it should come in the near future. The third matter is that tho use of the chutes should he discontinued in loading thb ships. It is a common practice with many-, shipping companies, and whenever ode of these chutes- .rests on 'a carcass "it seriously damages.it.. Besides, when the carcasses' are running down the chute thfey, often get damaged. - ."Tho ; system of putting. . classification marks', iii bills of lading should be abso-" lutely-discontinued. The bills of lading should; Contain only, one identifying mark, and.-eaoh owner.'? ; lino .of ..sheen- should hiive only one distinctive brand."'. ■ • ''Regarding the -'question- of the' delivery of the. meat in. London, a strong '.effort' should he made for the shins, particu-. larly .those of any one line, and which of course)'carry'-the Same, producer's produce as a. rule, to bo so regulated as to arrive in London at stated intervals. Occasionally as many as three of one companys' vessels' arrive in London, and are discharged at. .the-same time, making mat•ters'. extremely?' awkward, for . . the agents at that end,.and causing a'preat accumulation .'of-the same, brands, of sheen.' ; ' 1 "If the prestige of New Zealand in regard, to her meat is to be maintained, these l shipments must, as nearly as possible,;, be: spread over the whole year. !"With -.that object in .view it will bo necessary for the freezing companies to pro- • vido more storage accommodation, so that at'the close of each season they can hold over a; fair proportion for export during the remainder, of, the year, at regular intervals. At present little or. no meat leaves ; New Zealand for several months during- the closo of the year, and this enables the meat from other countries .to get in. and get.a footing.. The adopting of a system of storage and regular shipments subsequent to the season closing would tend to uniformity ot price, anu hold the market, which is a most important consideration. It. has been suggested that-such a; course is impracticable for financial arid other reasons, but this is a-,bogey. The banks and mercantile firms can-just !|S well make advances on meat' '.when in. storo as when ill London of'during, transit." , The : conference then adjourned till 9 o'clock this,morning.