THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2764, 1 February 1882, Page 2

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

: The ship Dunedin will take -home shortly a shipment of about 5,000 frozen carcases of sheep, which Mr M'Pherson is sending from the Cora pany’s Totara Estate. The slaughtering operations at this station began about ten days before the breaking of the crank on board the “Dunedin caused suspension ' of operations, and about l;000,of the sheep sent down hud to be taken On shore again and sold at a loss. The machinery was quickly repaired by a Dunedin firm, and since its redintegra tion a fortnight ago,the Operations have been carried on with renewed vigor. Six butchers, with attendant satelitea, are engaged in the sanguinary part of the business, and 240 carcasses are despatched to Dunedin every morning by

the first train, The sheep destined for the morrow’s slaughter are on the previous • day drafted into a yard, where they have to remain fasting for twenty-four hours, so that they may be in proper condition for killing. Immediately after being killed, the carcasses are hung up in a meat-house constructed for the purpose, with one wall and the floor constructed of narrow boards placed an inch or so apart, so as to admit of a free draught and current of fresh air. This shed is fitted up to hang 250 sheep, each carcase being allowed a space of 15in square, which allows the cool air a free passage all around them. While hanging here the carcasses are all carefully cleaned, and all superfluous fat, etc., that may remain in them after passing through the butcher’s hands, carefully removed. At four o’clock every morning work begins, when the number killed on the previous day, after hanging to cool for twenty four hours, are packed in meat vans fitted for the purpose with hanging apparatus, ventilators, and an ice chest iu the centre of each; and five vans, each containing from fifty to sixty sheep, are taken on to their destination by the morning train. (North Otago Times).

On the arrival of the vans at Port Chalmers they are drawn up alongside the vessel, and the carcasses are passed out into the “ tween-decks,” in which the temperature is kept so low as to partially freeze them only. The two boilers attached to the apparatus' are each capable of bearing a pressure of 160 lbs to the square inch, but each one in ordinary working is kept at 60lbs, a pressure quite sufficient for the purpose. The engines are fitted with four cylin ders, all on one bed-plate—one steam, one expansion, and two compressing cylinders ; each is 2lin in diameter, the stroke is 24in, and 60 revolutions are made to the minute. The temperature maintained between decks is,as we have said enough to freeze the carcasses about skindeep. Here they are hung (some slight distance apart) for 24 hours, during which time they cool gradually,, and are each l sewn into a coarse calico bag. At the expiration of this; time they are shifted into thp lower hold, where they are packed, Head and tail as closely as they can be stowed, and the real freezing is here performed. The engines on board the Dunedin can, if required, maintain the temperature below zero,but 28 degrees is found to be all that is required for the voyage. The meat is thoroughly frozen after remaining here for 24 hours, and a visit to this part, of; the vessel is disagreeably suggestive of an Arctic expedition. The hold is of course rendered air-tight by closely-fitting doors, and on entering from a comparatively warm atmosphere the Visitor is (not figuratively) “chilled to the marrow of the bones.” The meat is ranged closely and symmetrically on either side, and is reduced to such a state of frigidity that on being tapped it emits the hard hollow sound of a mass of timber. The iron stanchions, moreover, are coated with a thin layer of frost that renders their touch exceedingly uncongenial; and the ceiling is similarly adorned, although' in much greater quantity. Underfoot, however, this is varied by actual snow, which] lies pretty thickly in the open space, and can be gathered into a solid mass. All things considered a visit to Dunedin leaves no doubt upon the mind of a spectator as to the successful preservation of the meat during the voyage. The only question to be considered is one of cost, and if this can be satisfactorily adjusted there seems every hope for the frozen meat trade of the future. — (“Otago Daily Times.”)