FROZEN MEAT IN TRANSIT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1084, 24 March 1911, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT IN TRANSIT.

CONDITIONS IN NEW.- ZEALAND; A Dominion representative was informed recently that it frequently happens that frozen meat railed iroin up-country freezing works to Wellington ior shipment to London reaches here in a state which necessitates its being ret cozen.' As the matter was put in a rather serious light it was investigated. ''it sometimes happens," said one of the gentlemen called on, "that portion of a shipment, of . frozen meat from- country freezing works reaches Wellington in a state which the ship's officers consider soft. That occurs occasionally, not often. Hot, muggy weather liko we had- last week is t lie sort of weather 'to -produce such a condition in the meat. Humidity and heat have a greater effect on frozen meat than dry heat. "Even meat from Ngahauranga to the wharf has been softened. There may be delay on the railway—perhaps waiting for on engine. Sometimes the meat is all ready to go, and tho Department persists in following out red tape" without'any reason pr any consideration for tho shippers. TJie shipping companies have responsibilities in talcing frozen meat, awl tho ship's officers.are exceedingly particular. . If tho officers refuse meatj the nearest place to send it -is to one of the Wellington cold stores, so the meat is sent there .for a night to harden. Then it is put aboard nest day. . No shipment or portion of a shipment has ever missed the steamer on this account, because tho vessel will, wait for it. "Very little loss is ever incurred through this refreezing, the.expense.being merely the. night's hardening up in- tho cold chamber. The quality, of the nle.it is not affected, because the meat which the-ship's officers'refuse is generally in such a good state that no one but those officers can we anything wrong with it. "There has never been any large sliipmenti softened. Sometimes' there are 3COQ carcasse? of lamb or of mutton, sent into the chamber. Lamb, mutton, and beef are all equally subject to softening."