The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28th, 1925. TRANSPORT OF MEAT.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28th, 1925. TRANSPORT OF MEAT.

To Now Zealand exporters of meat the most important passages in the Imperial Economic Committee's report are those which envisage so much progress in s. ientilie discovery, and in ocean transport that it will he possible to deliver meat from the outer Dominions to Britain with no more severe preservation than chilling. But for flic reports of sue cssful experiments in Cambridge. the prospect might appear heyoml attainment. Its difficulties are not folly presented in the fact that the voyage from Now Zealand is double that from Argentina. Efforts to reduce the time of transport must commence from the moment the on reuse leaves the killing hoard, and must take into account the fact that, in proportion to its trade, the industry in New Zealand is, by reason of the number atul the wide distribution of works, far less economical than that of Argentina. When allowance is made for these factors, it is evident that there is a vast difference between the time occupied bv the transport of South American meat to Britain and that required for the delivery of the New Zealand produel. Some improvement may he possible by more careful eo-ordinatioll between works and shipping, hut in tho end the only practical method of preservation will lie one that is absolutely reliable for flic maximum period between killing and cooking. The industry, says the “X.Z. Herald,” cannot afford the direct losses that would he caused hv occasional failure of new methods; still less can it risk tho injnrj to the reputation of New Zealand meat that would be involved. There is, however, no reason for distrusting the suggestion that successful means will be discovered by which meat may he carried safely to Britain in a condition ready for immediate use; half a century ago refrigeration was no more than a theory, and the very existence of tho frozen meat industry is reason for anticipating the solution of the problem. It is necessary that scrupulous care should he taken to prevent any rash experiments in chemical preservation. One enterprise of that kind, ostensibly a chilling process was actually dependent upon a chemical which has been banned as a. food preservative. A grave mistake was made in permitting meat so treated to leave the country and while giving every encouragement and aid to promising research and experiments, the Government must be vigilant to prevent anything likely to create the slightest suspicion of tho Dominion’s produce.