MEAT IMPORTATION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2404, 19 December 1881, Page 3

MEAT IMPORTATION.

Mr F. Waymouth, the untiring secretary, has banded to ns the following report of the committee re the proposed Refrigerating Company, which will be submitted at the next general meeting:— Your committee beg to report as follows : That the success attending so many recent shipments of frozen meat from Australia to England at once disposes of the question of the practicability of the proposed undertaking ; your committee would therefore chiefly direct your attention to the following points:—lst. As to the quantity of sheep, cattle, and dairy produce available for export at the present rate of production. 2nd. The price at whioh it is now being produced. 3rd. The probable rate of increase, when a certain fixed minimum price is obtainable at that season of the year when fat stock can be produced at a small cost, 4th, That such an establishment becomes a necessity. sth. The eo-operation of shipping and insurance companies. 6th. The combination in England of all shipping companies and colonial agents to obtain suitable storage and means of placing the shipments in the market as required by consumers, 7th. The obtaining a suitable site for the proposed operations. Bth. The indirect general advantages that must accrue to the whole community, but especially first to the landowners and to those whoso interests are most immediately connected with the value of real property. In answer to the first point, the number of sheep in the Canterbury district, according to the last return, is 3,487,220. The increase over the preceding year, 317,129. The number of sheep in the Amnri district according to the last return is 286 097. The increase over the preceding year, 23,762. The export of tallow I’or year ending 30th June, was 1640 tons. The export of preserved meats, for year ending 30ch June, was 2382 cwt. The export of butter for the year ending 30th June was 37840 wt. The export of cheese for the year ending 30th June, was 64800 wt. On the second point, as to the price at which meat is now being produced, reference only need be made to stock salesmen’s reports, from whioh it appears that mutton is now selling at XJd per Id, and beef about 20s te 23s per lOOlbs, but beef from November to July may be quoted at less than 20s per lOOlbs. Butter is 5d to 6d per lb, and cheese, 3d to4i. 3. This point, as to the probable increase of production with a certain market available, is one whioh can only be met by conjecture, but is one easily appreciated by practical farmers. It would not, in the opinion of the committee, be too sanguine an estimate to put the probable increase at from 15 to 23 per cent, in two years, and that it would go on increasing in a gradual progression dependent on the seasons.

4. As to the necessity of providing some such means as is proposed for rendering stock saleable. This must be admitted, if the foregoing statements are to be held correct. 6. In alluding to the question of securing the co-operation of shipping, railway, insurance, and other companies in establishing and extending such an enterprise, your committee think it may taken for granted that their own commercial success is so closely identified with pastoral and agricultural interests that they must necessarily unite in providing suitable means of carriage, facilities tor storage and sale, &c , &o. In fact, we have only to direct attention to the following circumstance to prove that such institutions are already alive to the importance of the new industry. The Orient and P. and O. steamship companies have already fitted their Australian steamers with the necessary machinery for carrying cargoes of frozen meat and produce. The Albion Shipping Company have filled up one of their best ships, the Dunedin, now lying in Fort Chalmers. The New Zealand Shipping Company are having a refrigerator placed on board the Mataura, now about leaving London for Lyttelton. The English insurance companies offer to cover shipments against all risks, including deterioration on board ship from any cause, for 5 per cent, premium. The committee are assured that the London and St. Katherine Docks Company have already arranged to fit up vaults with proper appliances for cool storage, specially to meet the requirements of the frozen meat and provision trade. The Australian railway authorities readily provided the necessary trucks suitably fitted for conveying frozen meat to the port of shipment, and a recent telegram informs us that in Victoria ten more are being prepared to meet the increasing trade. 6. As to the operations of the company in England, every effort sheuld be made to induce combined action on the part of all colonial agents and companies with a view to placing the meat in a sound condition before the consumer. Observing that several recent shipments have not realised remunerative rates, your committee made enquiry as to the causes, and find that the low rates may be traced to (1) a combination of English butchers and salesmen, (2) unsoundness of a portion of the meat owing to defective packing and stowing on board ship, and (3) absence of facilities for keeping the meat in a frozen state after its discharge from the ship. The committee confidently expresses its conviction that the great consequences involved in the success of this business will lead to such complete arrangements as will overcome all the defects above mentioned.

7th. Obtaining a suitable site for the factory is a matter of great importance to the Bnooessful working of the company, and the directors will have to exercise great care in making their selection. From experience of companies now working, it is found that the operations can be best carried on by haring the freezing works away from the port of shipment, but adjacent to a line of railway, so as to be connected by siding, and where paddooking can be got for holding the stock until slaughtered. Bth. As to the indirect general advantages to the community, it appears to your committee to be self-evident that anything which tends to fir a minimum price for produce gives confidence to producers and to all dependent upon them, consequently giving stability to trade and a fixed value to real property. Such, in the opinion of your committee, is the peculiar suitability of this district for dairy farming, that such an establishment in constant operation, together with a suitable supply of means of shipping being always available, becomes of the first importance, and as a result the committee confidently predict that, instead of the depreciation of the land by the frequent growth of grain crops, there would be a continuous improvement and general occupation of the land of the colony to an extent that would bo impossible under existing circumstances. In accordance with the views heroin expressed your committee beg to submit for your approval the prospectus now placed before you, in which it is proposed to make the capital £20,000, but only to call up £IO,OOO, with which to provide site, plant, &0., for the present, leaving £IO,OOO to be called up when required for extending the operations of the company. Your committeewould only further urge that if a company be., formed as proposed, no time should be lost, a® a large surplus of stock may bo expected,to be available at the end of the present summer, and if due notice were given to those who have dairies, a quantity

of produce might be prepared in such a condition as would render it most saleable in English market. Your committee have laid on the table a large number of circulars, reports, and newspaper clippings, having reference to refrigerating machines, from which it will bo seen the Haalam surpasses all others, being very compact, less likely to get out of order, and, delivering the cold air almost dry, there is little or no deposit of snow, consequently the meat is kept dry, and has a much better appearance when thawed than that frozen by other machines. The machine can also bo kept constantly going if required, as there being no accumulation of snow the air troughs do not become choked, as is the case with the Bell Coleman and Giffard machines. The following is an estimate of the cost of the various machines, delivered f.o.b. London, including boilers and all extras The Bell-Coleman Company, to discharge 60.000 feet per hour ... £2634 The Bell-Oolemaa Company, to diecharge 40,000 feet per hour ... £2040 The Giffard Company, to discharge 25,000 feet per hour ... ... £IBOO The Haalam Company, to discharge 40,000 ft per hour ... J. and B. Hall, machine to discharge 30,000 ft per hour ... ... ... £2090 J, and H. Gwynne, machine to discharge 45,000 ft. per hour ... ... £3412 Your committee have not taken further note of the cost of shipping and placing the frozen meat in the English market than by a reference to the statements already made public of the shipments by the Protos, Ac., from which it appears that the cost is about 2,Jd per lb. It may be fairly interred that, inasmuch as these were the fi-st of an entirely new undertaking, experience and competition will speedily lead to a reduction in all costs and charges. John Geigg, Chairman of Committee. Christchurch, 17th December.