THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 416, 2 November 1889, Page 2

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

A special article in the Lyf telton Times reviewing the frozen meat trade snys that it is just six years and a half ago since the Hist shipment of frossan meat was made From Lyttelton. Tlje artiolo tlicn goes on to show the rapid strides the trade has ntado since that da'e, and says :—": — " The expansion still goes on, and that at an inoi easing ratio which is startling. >So tremendous is the a Ivanee v^hich is still maintained that the New Zealand, and Shaw, S.iville, and Alhiou Omnjwmes are ban! put to it to supply space for aU tho sbippors who apply to them. Their estimate J requirements for the six months to come . -December, 1889, to May, 1890— hy all the lines are most surprising evidence that the trade is rapidly expanding into gigantic proportions. The different Companies set down their export in tho period ' named as follows :— — Gear Co 70,000 i Wellington Meat Export Co. 143,361 j Cimterbmy Fiozen Meat Co. 163,500 N.Z. Relngeruting Co. ... 72,000 Cluistchnruh Moat Co. ... 55,000 Nelson B>-os 100,000 North British Hawkes Bay Co. 50,000 Timaru BYoezing Co. ... 30,000 Bluff 30,000 Auckland 15,000 Waitara 15,000 N.Z. and Australian L<ind Co. 31,000 774,861 Or getting on toward the same quantity sent off in 1888-89 during the whole year. And here comes in the Shipping Companies' difficulty. The steamers are capable of carrying 395,600 ; the sailing vessels 97,000; total 492,600. Deficiency 252,261 carcases. Leaving space still to bo provided for 252,261 carcases. This will necessitate the supplying of additional cargo boats by the two lines, This, too, leaves quite out of sigbt'the question of conveying the excessive quantity of dairy produce for which more nud more spaco is being constantly demanded, and which trade bids fair—* threatens i 3 almost the word, so imminent is the danger — to put the Shipping Companies into the same f*x as tho froxen meat. In addition to the two great Shipping Companies, Messrs Tyser's four boats make two annual trips each, and carry away 30,000 carcases every time—five times what the British King took in 1838 —a total of 240,000 ; and Martin Turnbull and Co. have three steamers of a capacity of 30,000, which, make the same number of voyages yearly-account r ing for another 180,000. Where' will it end ? _____________