HOW TO FREEZE MEAT.

Patea Mail, 28 August 1882, Page 3

HOW TO FREEZE MEAT.

A visit to the new works of the N.Z. Refrigerating Company at Burnside, near Dunedin, is thus described in the Otago Witness : The New Zealand Refrigerating Company, notwithstanding its recent formation, has already commenced operations with great energy, and the Works at Burnside are now fairly started with every success so far. The machinery is working very satisfactorily, and fifteen men are now permanently engaged upon the premises, preparing the cargo for the ss. Marsala, which is shortly to leave for England with a third shipment of frozen meat. Various gentlemen interested in the Company took a trip out to Burnside, and found the premises wearing quite a buisy appearance. Passing on to the rear of the building slaughtering operations are in full swing. Four butchers are at present employed here, each being expected to thoroughly “ finish ”50 sheep per diem. It is proposed almost immediately to increase the number of hands in this department to six, when 300 instead of 200 carcases will be stored each day. The sheep are penned immediately outside the slaughtering place, into whicli they arc passed through a small door as required. . The hide and offal pits are in the immediate vicinity, and these latter materials are all to be utilised in due course. One man is employed alone in carrying the carcases away as they leave the butchers’ hands and hanging them in the cooling chamber. Any carcases that may be at all bruised is here marked out, and is not shipped with the others. The sheep killed one day are the next conveyed from the cooling into the freezing rooms, and here hung for about 48 hours, -b}' which time they are completely frozen. They are then sewn in canvas packing and stowed close together to await removal. One of these freezing chambers is just at present being utilised for this latter purpose, although additional storage room is being provided which will raise the capacity of the building to about 8000 or 9000 carcases, A visit of a few minutes only to one of the chambers is amply sufficient to prove that the work of freezing is being efficiently carried on. Some carcases which had not been hanging the whole of the allotted time appeared, nevertheless, thoroughly refrigerated, being literally as hard as wood, and emitting a hollow ringing sound when tapped with the knuckles. The roof of Hie chamber was entirely covered with a layer of snow some quarter of an inch in thickness, and after a sojourn of only a minute or two the visitor is glad enough to hasten out into the warm sunshine. The sheep which are now being prepared for shipment are in exceptionally fine condition, averaging from 751b to 801b each, and this standard, the manager informs us, will be adhered to. Although in working order, additions and improvements are still being made to the premises, and the reservoir, for which Messrs Mason and Wales are the architects, will be completed within a few days. On the whole it is apparent that the Company are pushing forward their operations with an energy and thoroughness which will go a long way towards making them successful, and the result of their present venture will be watched with interest.

A meeting of Mr T. North’s creditors is to be held at New Plymouth Sept 11th, to assent to the deed of composition. Mr North’s friends will regret the result of his law-suit. The tender of Mr E. Hills is accepted for erecting dressing rooms as additions to the Harmonic Hall, the price being L 66. The approach to the back of the hall has been much improved. Says one ’Any to another’ Any ; “I say, old man. the papers say, they ’ope 1882 will be the opening of a new era. What’s that ?” Second ’Any ; “ ‘ Openin’ of a new ‘earer, ’ Why a telephone, of course, you Juggins!” It is stated that Professor Denton was hissed off the stage a few Sunday evenings ago, because he said the bible was a tissue of falsehoods. The New Zealand. Agriculaural Company are to lay down 40,000 lbs. of poisoned grain monthly on their runs in Otago.