REFRIGERATION.

Patea Mail, 2 December 1881, Page 1

REFRIGERATION.

Mr J. L. Coster, manager for the

New Zealand Shipping Company, writing to Canterbury from London on Oct. 6th, says: “We went on board the Orient on her arrival in dock on sth, and saw her refrigerator at work. We went into the cold air chamber and inspected the meat, which I am glad to say has apparently arrived in perfect order. Mr Haslam, the maker of the machinery, and who is fitting the Matanra 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 from 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 mnitoD; thong’ll inside you coaid eee 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 1 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. AH 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 finer grain. They were altogether pleased, and the servants who had it cold also enjoyed 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, bat as prime Welsh or hill mutton, at the highest price. The meat I purchased was ex Cuzco, had been out of the refrigerator about 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.