MEAT FREEZING AT WORK.

Patea Mail, 15 September 1882, Page 3

MEAT FREEZING AT WORK.

Tlie Otago Daily Times says ' The The meat-freezing works have been kept for several weeks in full operation, and have now between 6000 and 6000 excellent sheep ready for the ss Marsala, now due. Their capacity is equal to 300 a day, and their storage space to 6,000 sheep. As soon as the first portion of the Marsala’s cargo can be shipped, the company will complete the remaining 2,000, to make up 8,000 contracted for, for which they will have ten days from the time of the vessel being ready to receive cargo. It is understood, but not definitely known, that she will go Home via Batavia, and load rice there, thus giving the process a severe test in a hot climate. The Christchurch Company are well forward with their plans, and several other companies are projected. At present we have plenty of stock to supply four or five freezing factories in various parts of the Colony, and a regular market will be a great stimulus to production in the way of earlier breeding and winter feeding. Some recent leases of runs set apart for educational purposes, offered b3 T auction, have been taken up at very high ' rentals, equal to Is 6d to Is 7d per acre, or from 2s to 3s per sheep, stimulated, no doubt, by the brighter prospects of this branch of industry, in consequence of the freezing process. The exports from Otago alone this year will, it is expected, nearly reach 30,000 sheep, including the Dunedin’s cargo, but this is only a beginning.