FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 December 1939, Page 3

FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

FIRST AUSTRALIAN EFFORT. FAILURE HAD TRAGIC SEQUEL. In the “Weekly Press” (Christchurch) of March 31, 1877, was printed the following interesting paragraph:— “Shipment of frozen meat to England: Arrangements are now being made in Sydney for a trial shipment to England of Mr Mort’s frozen meat. Thai gentleman has purchased 500 head of the celebrated fat bullocks from Mr White’s Martindale Estate, and the carcases, after being duly frozen, will

be shipped on board the Northam, a certain portion of that vessel —7000 feet—now being especially fitted up for the purpose.” The failure of this early attempt had a tragic sequel, as it hastened Mr Mort's death. Although this great pioneer of the industry established in Sydney the first freezing works in the world—in 1861 —the mutton was not shipped abroad but consumed locally. The Argentine had made a successful shipment by 1877, but it was not until December 6, 1879, that the first Australian shipment was made from Melbourne in the Strathleven. The history of the frozen meat industry refers to the consignment referred to in the early . files of the “Weekly Press.” It states that it is supposed that Mr Mort had up till then spent £BO,OOO in connection, with his freezing experiments, and £20,000 besides was put in by Australian squatters for a trial shipment to England about 1876. for which the sailing ship Northam was chartered. A report by a businessman who saw the installation being put in the Northam.supplied a description of this historic effort: A considerable space in the square of the main hatch had' been bulkheaded off as a meat chamber. The insulation consisted of a 15-inch space between the two bulkheads run in with tallow, and inside the chamber the cold brine pipes were fixed. It occurred to the party, of which the informant was a member, ns they went round the ship, that there was a danger of destruction | to the meat in having the pipes in the chamber, should the movement of the ship strain the pipes in the chamber and a leakage occurr. As a matter of fact, that is what did take place, but : fortunately before the vessel left the ■ harbour. The meat had to be discharged, thus making an end of the experiment before it had been begun. This failure, was a terrific blow to Mr Mort and hastened his death, which oc- j curred the following year. 1

This was the first Australian effort recorded, and was more than four years before the Dunedin sailed from Port Chalmers—on February 15. 1882.