The Southland Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 1021, 14 September 1868, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1868.

Ouk agricultural and pastoral settlers will feel encouraged to extend their operations from the news recently received from Victoria and England. It may now be taken for granted that a market for New Zealand barley exists in Victoria, and that any quantity of this grain exported to there, would meet with ready sale at a remunerative price. Large orders, we understand, haye been received by a merchant in this town, and we feel confident that if the attention of the farmers of the Province vvere given more to the growth of this article than it has been, farming would be rendered a more profitable occupation than hitherto. The new system of preserving Australian meat for export to England has proved pre-eminently successful. It will be remembered that a large quantity of this preserved meat was, with the permission of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, taken on board the " Galatea" for her voyage home. Mr Bmchie, the manager of the Melbourne Meat-preserving Company, received by the last mail the following report, sent by his Royal Highness, to the comptroller of victualling in England : — " The Melbourne Meat- preserving Company having requested that a supply of meat preserved by them might be received on board H.M, ship under my command, and reported on after the ship's return to England, and as I considered that now that the project of furnishing the English market with meat preserved by various processes was being so actively carried out in Australia, any information thereupon might be advantageous to the public service, I granted permission for the shipment, and beg to furnish the following remarks on the preserved meat referred to. The supply consisted of eight 121 b tins, each containing three legs of mutton ; eight 91b ! tins, each two legs of mutton ; and thirtysix 61b tins, each one leg of mutton ; total, 3841 b. I caused the meat to be issued to the officers' messes, and tested by the petty officers on several occasions, and they are unanimous in opinion that, as preserved meat, it is most excellent, and is solid, juicy, and sweet. None of the tins proved defective, and the bones of the legs having been removed, every particle contained in the tin is available for food. I have endeavored to ascertain at what price similar meat could be delivered at one of H.M. victualling yards, and although the company, being only in process of formation, were unable to speak definitely, they stated that they expected to be able to supply it to an almost unlimited extent at from 6d to 7d per lb (inclusive of carriage and landing), according to the size of the canisters in which the meat may be ordered to be packed. (Signed) "Alfbed, Captain." The fact that beef and mutton can be so preserved in these colonies as to command a remunerative price in the London market, should stimulate our flockowners to expand their operations. Hitherto, sheep have been bred and kept more especially for their wool, and therefore but little attention has beeu paid to the production of large framed sheep. This was not to be wondered at, considering the limited market generally available to the producer, but now that a process of curing, simple and. inexpensive, has been '

discovered, and a sure and steady market secured, it k highly desirable that greater consideration should b$ given to this matter. So favorable ha^e been the reports from those who have tested the Australian preserved meat that even the Times has had an article upon it, as an event of great importance. The * Argus ' says : — In addition to the very gratifying testimonial, we hear that the company have received instructions from their London agent, by telegram via Qalle, to send off immediately 200,0001 b of their meafy principally for account of the 3?rehch Government. | Too much importance cannot be given to the creation of new markets for colonial produce. Southland is essentially an I agricultural and pastoral country, and upon the prosperity of those interests its progress or decline depends. It is a fact that the limited market presented within its bounds, and the want of facilities for exporting has had a powerful influence in circumscribing operations. It is now proved that profitable markets are to be found, if a little enterprise were displayed by the commercial community in providing the means for a cheap and efficient system of export. : In connection with, the above subject immigration forms an important feature. We require population, in order to obtain the rapid cultivation of the fertile lands we possess. This is a matter that should command the attention of all interested in the advancement of the colony. In another column will be found one of a series of letters upon this topic, to which we would direct attention. It is a subject that Bhould be seriously discussed by the inhabitants of every district, for if a colonial system could be adopted, whereby a constant stream of immigrants could be secured — if arrangements could be made by the !N"ew Zealand Government to participate in the immigration scheme of the "Victorian Government, in a very few years this colony would overcome all its difficulties, the heavy burden of taxation would be lightened, and a prosperous future secured.