FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1175, 10 July 1911, Page 8

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

; HANDLING FROZEN'MEAT. 1 ,' ' SUGGESTIONS FROM LONDON, i PRODUCERS' REPRESENTATIVE'S ; . IDEAS. : The New Zealand Producers' Associa- '. tion, which has its headquarters in Wel- : liHKton, has received communications from '■ its English representative (Mr. JT. J. ■ Shelton), who recently arrived in England to fulfil his appointment. The fuli lowing is a copy of a report received from I ' 'Mr. faheltoiu— ' • I - "On Sunday night, May 21, I attended >" the Smithfield Market before it opened jn j order to watch Ike whole business from the time meat came along until the mar- '■■ ket was fully stocked at 5 a.m. on Moui day. I have since been to the Albert : Docks to watch meat being discharged : from steamers there, and I will only say '•i at present that Mr. Lysnar's information ;■ as to the unnecessary rough handling of ; meat at those two points was mild. The : meat received very much worse treatment than he described. Beef on account of its : weight and bulk, and liability to hurt : those handling it, is treated more respectfully than mutton and lamb. "I shall go more fully into this question '( later, but in the meantime I would sug- ;■ gest the following two points for coni by those interested in New i'. Zealand, in'which, the producers may •! assist themselves. Sacks for Mutton and Lamb. ; "Owing to the roiigh handling meat, especially mutton and lamb, receives all the time, aud as it will necessarily .be '• (-omo tiino before facilities are available, ! and those engaged in this business be- ' como educated to bettor methods, I ;' strongly suggest that for the present at all events mutton and lamb should l)b ; packed in hessian sacks in addition, to their calico wrappers. I post you this mail a bag which is used in London for 'sending meat away into the country ; .which will illustrate practically what is wanted. The material should be good, : ■ with the least-fluffy side inside. The bogs can bo made of various sizes, fo as just to take the careas;, a few stitches at the end being sufficient to "keep the sheep in. ; " "In showing sheep at market, the . phcep are hung by their hind legs, on ■ gambles, and the present wrappers pulled , about half-way down (when they ; are not taken oft' altogether). The same : procedure should l;o followed with the ' outer cover. Tho bags should fit - the sheep without waste of material, and at tho «amn 'time not too tightly to cause : trouble in removing. This outer cover : working on the inner cover will take a lot of chafing oIT the carcass in the many blows it receives after leaving the freez- :. ing store, and should appreciably cn- ! nance value. i "The objection to it is cost and freight. I- . I think tho cost, may be got over by I charging the bag to buyer, with right of ! return. Tliis-is the custom here, but not ; always. I think the freight on the weight : of the bag should bo allowed by the steamer free, net weight of meat only to be charged for. , ; Trial Shipment Suggested. : "Both of these are details to be worked, .out, the freight question, I should sugigest, being arranged for. with the shipping comnany in New Zealand at present. If the meat should realise Id.' per pound better on account of this extra protection it will pay.' I , would strongly urge that some of thu freezing companies be induced to send a quantity, say 500 or ' 1000 each by a steamer, with extra bags, .. and a similar quantity of same finality without extra bags, and note the results. •'I : sent .a line of some hundreds in this way when I was controlling tho Gisborno works, with the result that tho meat landed in SmUhfield in exceptional order, and I. refreshed my ; memory of tho,circumstances"yesterday by discussing the question with tho man' to whom I consigned'them. At the.-same ■ ' time the steamer people .demurred, to ,rc- ■ ceiving the sheep, alleging that the.looser •". bags might impede . the circulation of cold air, but I sot'over this by pointiii!! out that if the holds were, properly cooled, and the sheep. properly frozen, the : Tesults would be satisfactory, which prov- ' ... rd to be. the case. The insurance on the <-' double-bagged sheen need not be more than for total loss, the difference in premium would about pay for the extra bog. Brands and Numbers. "In the meantime, until some bettor system can be arrived at, a great deal of unnecessary handling-con bo avoided if each interest is branded op tho outside bags to correspond with delivery and B/L I mark, leaving the tags, and in case of these being destroyed the inside wrappers, to speak of the independent description of the carcass. To illustrate, a B/L ex Karamea, shows:— GSFM 99 A llilS 15 10 ■i 90 C ' 2 ■ 99 D ■■• ■ ' '■ 1 : . 99 K 1 00 X • 25 99 O 12 09 G i ■ 66 ; "For 6f> carcasses 8 deliveries and sortings ere required. The outer cover for this needs only record, the freezing company's brand and the farmer's number, viz., GSFM/99. . So that in delivering the Birat from the steamer only the outer cover brand GSFM/i)!) would be looked for, and a lot of time and handling avoided, only one delivery being required, aud the .sorting to sub-marks done in storo instead of at fellij>, lighter, or dray. . . . As a mailer of fact, fomo eomjmnic-. in New Zealand arc already adopting this. "I may I'lention thai I discussed thive '. two .'iiißgesh'ons with an experienced man interested in Hie lrozcn meat trade, and he heartily approved of same, and snid they vsre very practical and useful point;." ■ FARMERS' UNION. MEETING OF I'ALUERSTON NORTH BRANCH. The monthly meeting of the Falmerstoi North branch of the .farmers' I'nion wa held on Saturday morning, there bein; i present: Jlf'-sr?. J.. Ealsillio (ehainnan) -'■ A. Farmer, A. ISiichanai:, R. Gardner, L ?,. liryant, J. AVingalo, and \V. Barker. Th I matter of arranging for tho annual dtuue r was loft to the chairman. The agciuli paper for the Dominion Conference wa jeceived. Miv E. Griffiths, of Now I'l.vniontli, wrote infroducipi; Mr. D. IT. Rait, M.R.C.V.S., who intends to settle at I'lilinerslon, and'practise his profession. Jlr. Rait attended, and. gave a \CTy interesting address, dealing with the common diseases of stock that are prevalent in the Manawotu. Mr. Rait also staled that ho was giving a lecture on July 20, and invited the members of tho union to be present. Several questions were answered, and a vote of thanks was accorded 1o Mr. Rnit for his address. It was decided to invite Mr. R. Gardner to address the members on "Land Valuation" it tho next meeting. AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE. The date of tho Agricultural Conference, consisting of delegates from the various Agricultural and Pastoral Associations, has not y?t boon fixed. According to advice received by a Braisios representative, the conference will proliably bo held during tho third wcok in August. The opening day will be either tho Tuesday di , the Wednesday. The sitting will be held in Wellington. The conference meets every two years. On Friday sixty-eight horses were chinned from Wellington to Australia. They were mostly animals exported as suitable for farm work.

EJEWC mmmowES.

MASTERTON A. & P. ASSOCIATION. MEETING OF GENBKAL COMMITTEE. Tho monthly meeting 'of the General Committee of tho Ma'sterton A. and P. Association was held on Saturday last in the Association's offices, there being present: Messrs. \V. Perry (chairman), 0. C. Sumroerell, J. C. Killop, 1!. J. Dagsr, W. H. liuick, C. C. Harper, H. J. Dans, E. J. Terry, T. P. Lett, A. J. Percy, \i. Gray, A. U. Pilmer, J. P. Perry, J. 11. .Tames, G. 11. Shaw, Bland,, liiiyner (2), Donald, O.'C. Cooper, W. Cooper, W. J. Welsh, D. M'Gregor, jun., D. Cnselbers, J. Strang, and W. Morrison. The report of the meeting of the subcommittee appointed to deal with the secreta'i-yship was read. It was recommended that Mr. J. U. Emmott be appointed ' Acting-Secretary, in the absence of Mr. G. R. Sykes, oil leave, at a salary of ,£ls per month.—The report was adopted. The chairman reported that he had attended the conference in Palmerstou North in reference to' the appointment of cnrainittccmen from this association on tho Manawatu Association. The chairman said he had not pledged the association to anything. He did not think much would coniG of the movement. The. Hawke's Bay Society had also stood out. A suggestion had been made that country committees be appointed, similar to those of'Masterton.—No action was taken in the matter. In answer to a question, the chairman stated that a remit had been framed and sent on to the Agricultural Conference, favouring the formation of a Hoyal Society. It did not follow, if such, a society was" formed, that Royal Shows would bo held. There was other useful work that such a society might do. Mr. Frank "Jloore,,- of Bushy- Park, Kai Iwi, notified his intention to present the association with a silver rose bawl, valued at twelve guineas, to be allotted as a. points prize for fat cattle. Tho bowl is to bo won twice in succession or three times at intervals. His own stock is not to compete for the trophy. The donation was received with applause, and it was decided to write Mr. Moore, thanking him for his generous gift. Messrs.- Arthur D. Eiley and Co., importers, of Wellington, forwarded-infor-mation concerning telephone materials, which they were prspnred to supply. The communication whs referred to the Private Telephone Assosiution. Mr. D. 11. Bait, M.K.C.V.S., wrote, asking permission to lecture before tho association on the subject of diseases in stack. It was decided that the association avail itself of Mr. Knit's offer, -and that the lecture be given on the evening of July 2D. A letter was read from Mr. H. V. Fulton, of Dunedin, stating that an effort' was being made to form a Clydesdale Horse Society fDr the Dominion, and asking for the support of this association in the matter. It was also asked that delegates be appointed to attend a meeting to be held in Dunedin in August. Mr. Donald thought tho movement a step in the right direction. He could not see, howover, how they could do much in this district to assist the movement, as there jwere eo few bre;d.'rs here. On the moion of Mr. Donald, seconded by Mr. li. .1. Dagg, it was decided that this meeting favours the formation of a Clydesdale Horse Society, and extends its support to the movement. The secretary of the New Zealand Producers' Association notified that a meeting of the association would be held in Wellington on July 18 to consider the. cjufrs Hop. of approaching the Government to ask for legislation to put the association on a legal footing, -with -power, to riiiso iiionev for the management, and t.i discuss the question of increasing the number of committees in other parts of tho Dominion.—Received. . . The secretary of. the.New-Zealand Producers' Association forwarded a circular letter, covering a repoTt received from Mr. 1 , . J. Shelton, the association's representative in London. Mr. Shelton stated that he had opened an-office in.Smith-, field, and was moving round quietly to edncatc himself as to the position. Hβ stated, inter alia, that "everythins is being done to destroy the efforts of the New Zealand farmers who produce and deliver from the freezing works there a fair article in good condition. Building bricks receive more careful attention hero by those handling them than does frozen'mutton and lamb." Mr. Shelton stated, further, that he had interviewed tho London dock- authorities,- arid-had bpemcourteously received. He suggested that mutton and lamb be packed in , Hessian sacks in addition to the calico covering. He would like to see an experiment mado in this directiou. He also suggested certain improvements in regard to the branding of carcasses. He ■ affirmed that tho statements made by.'Mr. D. Lysuar in regard to the ,of mutton at the London ports had been more than confirmed by his own observations.—Tho ■ communication was received. Mr. C. li. Pharazyn, whn has left New. Zealand, wrote tendering his resignation as a member. —The resignation was received. The Pahiatua-Akitio. Association advised that its next show would bo held on Friday, February (), 1912. The secretary of the Egmont Association notified that its show would be held on November 8 and 9; Marlborough intimated that its show would take placjv'pn November 11 and 15; Stratford ion, December fi and 7; and various other shows'at different dates. . • "■ Tho report of the meeting ■of the .Ground Committee was read. The caretaker reported that certain pipes hud become blocked, and it was decided, to ask Mr. Cooper to rectify the'-Fame., Tho Hailway Department .submitted phn> of the Kuripuni siding; and a proclamation in reference lo the taking of 2 acrcs .11 perches iimlar the Public Works Act. II: was decided that the. Railway 3epartn;ent hh asked to change the name of the siding from "Kuripuni" to "Solway." It was resolved lo mike a donation of .CI Is. .to the Horticultural Society for u;o ,uf. va.'cs, etc. . . Tho report of' the meeting .of the' Finance Committee was read. It was decided to write 5 per cent..off the association's asset's for depreciation, and ,£IS 10s. (d. off plant and office furniture. The balance-sheet, as read, was adopted. Mr. 11. A. Neviiis. delegate of the Farmers' Union, gave an address on the question of starting, shearers' elates in connection with thn Technical School. It was decided to place buildings on the showground at the disposal of tho classe.-:, and a sub-committee was set up "to confer with the managers of the Technical School.