TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3264, 17 December 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1881.

It peems from what we observe in some of the Australian papers that the colonial meat-freezing companies will have to do something more than to merely confine themselves to their legitimate business in order to ensure a financial success for their enterprise. Some of the last shipments that arrived in excellent condition did not by any means realise to the shippers the anticipated value. The meat was bought up by wholesale dealers at dd and 6d per lb., sent off to the retailers, and sold by them as English beef at lid. This method of doing business is not at all satisfactory to the producer Finding that they cannot run Australian meat off the market, the middlemen are now, apparently, making a profit that should be divided between the producer and the retailer. Before the consumer can derive any benefit from an extended meat supply tbe middlemen must be done away with ; and until he is, the consumer stands a chance of being deceived as to what be buys and the producer will be despoiled of the advantage of supplying an unlimited market. Unlike the preserved meats for which Mr Tallerman did so much in London, the frozen article can be placed before the English consumer in as attractive a form as homegrown beef. With the improved method of sending fresh meat sixteen thousand miles, there is no necessity on its arrival to give it away in order to educate the English up to a taste for eating it. Mr Tallerman, however, wac not in competition with the butcher; he had simply to find a market for himself, and to do which he found it necessary to open cheap dining houses in all parts of London, and to give free dinners to all the notables. But in spite of his exertions the preserved meat never came into favor, and it would _eem that the English poor would rather starve than eat anything to which they are not accustomed. But there can be no such antipathy to the frozen meat, because it can evidently be sold as English grown. It is suggested then that the freezing companies should have a large depot, fitted up with all the necessary apparatus to keep the meat in a frozen state, in close proximity to the docks, and supply the retailers direct. By this means two advantages would be gained, the meat would be perfectly fresh and in good condition, and would thus secure a better pi ice, and, secondly, the services of the middleman would be done away with, and the profits that he now makes would go to those who earned them. Mr J. L. Coster, manager for the New Zealand Shipping Company, writing from London under date October 6th, says: —"We went on board the Orient on her arrival in dock yesterday, and saw her refrigerator at work. We went into the cold-air chamber and inspected the meat, wbisb I am glad to say has apparently arrived in perfect order. Mr Haslara, the maker of the machinery, and who is fitting the Mataura for us, was present, and expressed himself perfectly satisfied, and quite confident of the future success. Our machine will have some improvements, and I hope will be used fnm some port in March next. She will have room for 200 to 240 tons weight of meat. I also went previously to the Smithfield dead-meat market, selected an Australian sheep carcass, and had a saddle cut from it. The carcass looked just like any other mutton, though inside you could see moisture from thawing. The saddle I took down into Somersetshire, and after hanging it for three days it was roasted. Before cooking, it looked like any other mutton, and the cook, who had been in the family for many years, thought I had brought down a special bit of small mutton. The food was the best mutton I had eaten since leaving New Zealand—the juice was in the meat, and could be ladled up from the cut. All who partook of it expressed the opinion that the meat was admirable, and not distinguishable from English, excepting that it had a darker color (indicating a more mature age when killed) and a fioer grain. They were altogether pleased, and the servants who had it cold also eDJoyed it. The butchers seem to be raising difficulties as to the disposal of the imported meat, and I feel convinced supply their customers with it, not as Australian frozen meat, but as prime Welsh or hill mutton, at the highest price. The meat, I purchased was ex Cuzco, had been out

of the refrigerator eight hours, and was charged to me at 8d per lb. There was nothing to indicate at the stall that the meat was Australian, although on asking the officials where I could find it, I was properly directed. The vendor showed me some Devonshire mutton, which he said was worth 9_d. but I find saddles are retailed at about Is."