The Patea Mail. Established 1875. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1883. MEAT FREEZING.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1076, 22 August 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1883. MEAT FREEZING.

The prospectus of the West.Coast Meat and Produce Export Company is now fairly before the public. We think it needless to impress upon everyone the .importance of doing what they can to assist the floating of the Company, as the benefit that it would .confer upon , the district at large, must be apparent to all.' Settlers appear to be entering into the project with spirit, and townspeople should, lend their assistance by coming forward and. taking up what shares they can. The Share-list will bo closed on the first of October, and by that time.we confidently expect that the’whole of the capital will bo subscribed. The Company wi|l then send the order Horae for the machinery, and it is anticipated that, if all goes well, freezing will bo commenced in March next. With the quantity of cattle upon the Coast we may be certain that the preparation, of beef for export will play an important part in the Company’s operations. In this connection, some directions given in a circular issued by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company will be read with special interest at this time. It appears that some of the beef sent by the Lady Jocelyn is not altogether suited to the requirements of the London market, and the Agency Company have issued their circular for the guidance of shippers and the Freezing Companies, so that operations may be successfully conducted in future. The first p.oint ,mentioned is the slaughtering, which should be /performed by experts conversant with the requirements of the London market, A sufficient interval must bo allowed to elapse between the arrival of the animal at the slaughter yards arid its being killed, so as to prevent it being overheated or exhausted at time of slaughter. Dressing is an important point, and the meat not be scored in flaying. The carcases should be sawn, not chopped through the chine, thus separating the sides with least injury to the bone, and it is recommended that for this operation a bow meat saw should be used. The kidney fat need not be removed. The best bullocks are those weighing when dead from 700 to 850 lbs, and these should be compact in frame,- well covered arid in good condition. Unless very great care be taken in the separation of the body that no injury is done to the chine or back bone, or if in handling of the sides before refrigeration there is any risk of abrasurc, it is better to ship in quarters than in sides, although the latter, if in perfect order, will yield a better ont-tnrn per lb than the former. Before being placed under refrigeration, the- beef ought to be thoroughly cooled in a cooL ing chamber at a temperature of say 40 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the time of year, locality, and weight of meat dealt with, must depend the interval allowed to elapse between killing and freezing, but probably 48 hours will prove sufficient for the purpose. Strict attention ought, however, to be paid on : the one hand to cooling,’and on the other to refrigerating, as soon after ; cooling as possible, as want of care in either particular will induce decay more especially at the boric. After refrigeration on shore, great cure must also be taken not to allow the beef tp thaw during transport to. export vessel ; and before storage in the frozen chamber, each quarter ought to bo carefully covered with calico, and such covers distinctly branded with a distinguishing mark or number to facilitate identification. If beef and mutton be shipped in the same vessel, it is recommended that they should be stowed in separate divisions of the chamber. The reason for this stipulation is that on arrival at the port of discharge every facility may bo given for the independent delivery of meat. The market for beef is subject fo more sudden and violent fluctuations than that for mutton, ami on this account it is essential that facilities bo given for prompt delivery by day or night, so that in limes of short supplies a favourable market may be quickly availed of, Australasian shipments of beef enter into competition with those from the Continent of Europe and America, so that in the event of supplies

from, those centres of production proving abundant, lower values will rule so long as those/countries are prepared to continue shipments, but in order that these should prove remunerative to American producers, it is necessary that at least 6d per lb for sides or bodies should be realised. Telegraphic communication with the Continent and America materially assists in the rapid concentration" of supplies to Great Britain when the position of the Live Stock and Dead Meat Market warrants the adoption of such a course, whereas Austra-lasian-shippers being by distance - precluded from so quickly availing themselves of any favourable /change iiii price must be prepared for the contingency of their beef from time to time reaching ‘hri overstocked and dull market. This circular which we have quoted /above contains many hints ?wliieb will be found * useful ? -to - farmers in the selection and preparation of suitable meat for shipment, which no doubt will.be foand acceptable. Tho trade is evidently one requiring carefulness and discrimination to carry it out successfully, and any information likely to be of assistance we shall gladly avail ourselves of.