THE STRATHLEVEN EXPERIMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2168, 28 February 1880, Page 2

THE STRATHLEVEN EXPERIMENT.

Writing from Sydney on the Strathleven shipment of frozen carcases, a correspondent says: —The Strathlevcn experiment lias been the subject of a good deal of discussion. Some of the squatters arc already grumbling that the price obtained is not high enough, while people who are not squatters think that the bucolics ought to be very well contented. The average price was from od to skl, although some of the fore-quarters did not fetch more than did. The freight of 2d alb is said not to be sufficient'to pay the ship, and nothing less than 3d will be a remunerative rate at present. This would not give the squatter more than 2d, but that means £7 to £7 IGs for an average fat beast, and that is not an absolutely ruinous price at which to quit surplus stock. The Minister for Kail ways has been interviewed to see if tho Government will reduce the charges for carrying moat, and whether they will provide a refrigerating depot. Mr Lackey says that his charges arc already lower than those in tho other Colonics, and that for various reasons it costs more to carry meat dead than alive. Nor is ho clear that it is the duty of Government to go into the storing of meal, or in any way preparing it for ‘shipment. As to saleyards slaughter-houses, and markets, he would rather leave the matter to corporations and private enterprise. In this Colony, however, wc arc so much accustomed to look to Government for everything, that it is very doubtful whether private enterprise will come to to the Lout if it is known that in the last resort Government will come to the rescue. The success of the Strathlevcn meat experiment is inducing speculative purchases of cattle. It is reported that an extensive butcher of Kockhamtou bought 12,000 head.