THE CHILLING SYSTEM.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1772, 21 September 1895, Page 2

THE CHILLING SYSTEM.

THE GOTHIC EXPERIMENT. The reports that have, reached the colonies: respecting the result of the Gothic’s experiment, in carrying meat in a chilled instead of a frozen state, have been so contradictory, that great doubt exists as to the value of the new system. On one hand the members of the syndicate who were responsible for the experimental shipment by the Gothic from Lyttelton and Wellington, assert that they are thoroughly satisfied with the' result; and, on the other, the meat salesmen, more especially those interested in the American chilled beef trade, express themselves in terms varying from faint praise to almost unqualified condemnation. To weigh the various opinions in detail would, possibly, bring us no near to a decision on the actual merits of the case, and it is really rendered unnecessary to do so by the presence in New Zealand of Mr Prentice, the representative of the Thermostat Syndicate, who was in charge of the Gothic’s shipment, find who alone can state the actual facts. Mr Prentice’s return to New Zealand, charged with the mission of arranging for regular shipments of meat and other perishable produce by the chilling system is, indeed, sufficient intimation that the experiment resulted satisfactorily. Mr Prentice declarss it to have been an unqualified success, and is surprised at the character of some of the reports that have been published. The temperature of the chilling chamber was not reduced at Teneriffe, but was maintained at an equal level, the greatest variation being at most half a degree throughout the voyage. The beef was not frozen as has been stated, but was perfectly amenable to the touch ; in fact it was further from being frozen and was in better condition generally than is most of the American chilled beef. There was no mildew—not a .spot of any sort—and the beef when the wrappers were removed was as bright and fresh in appearance as if newly flayed. This unknown article was bought by the retail butchers, who are actuated by anything but curiosity in their dealings, at fully the average price ruling at that time for the well-known American beef ; that is to say, one line of the New Zealand beef averaged 6d per lb, and the other —somewhat inferior - parcel s|-d per lb, while American hindquart ;rs were .selling at from 6M down to about 5d per lb. As a proof that the New Zealand Beef was good, the salesmen were able to raise the price from time to time, and the first buyers came back and willingly paid the advanced rate.