USEFUL HINTS ABOUT FROZEN MEAT.

Patea Mail, 4 August 1882, Page 4

USEFUL HINTS ABOUT FROZEN MEAT.

Referring to the 5000 frozen sheep delivered by the ship Dunedin in England, the British Live Stock Journal says : The meat is said to be equal in many respects to our best English mutton, and in appearance it cannot be distinguished from the Home product except by experienced butchers. It is necessary, however, that it should be used within a short time after it is taken out of the refrigerating chambers, as, when the frost gets out of the flesh,it becomes soft and flabby. Smithfield dealers say it is better than either the American or Australian consignments, as the carcases are more even in size, and have been nicely dressed before leaving New Zealand. The meat supply is a most important one, and anything that affects it must be of interest. From inquiries instituted we learn that the best portions of the mutton, the hind-quarters, have been sold to West end butchers, and these have disposed of the legs as English mutton at full prices, whilst the inferior parts have gone to the districts where the poorer inhabitants reside, and still been sold as home-fed mutton. Ihe striking fact of which there is no .denial, is that neither the West nor the East-end butchers have given their customeis any advantage, but have pocketed the profits themselves. This leads Us once more to the point which we have so often brought forward in this journal, namely, the necessity for some means of getting at the consumer without the intervention of middlemen : and if those who are interested in this New Zealand meat traffic intend to make it a real success, they will have to take steps to protect both themselves and the public from the rapacity of London meat salesmen.- Co-operation is, perhaps the best and most available mode, and by its aid much might be done to break down the present monopoly.