FROZEN MEAT EXPORT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 10229, 22 June 1883, Page 3

FROZEN MEAT EXPORT.

TO THE EDITOU.

Sir,— -The sooner the inhabitants of Wanganui, both town aud country, give their imniedialo attention to the above, the better for all parties concerned, for it is idle to suppo.se that this is a matter for graziers and farmers alone toconcex'n themselves with. In addressing myself | to the aboye subject, my object will be chiefly to show that this is a matter which should purely, in their own interests, cause the residents of the town of Wanganui, no matter what craft or profession . they belong to, 'to inquire into the reason why a district so celebrated for its pastoral products, should be so slow to avail itself of the advantages to be gained by so little outlay. If there were anything of an experimental nature about it, the apathy '■which exists in the community generally might be excusable ; but the remunerative nature of the scheme is placed beyond all doubt, by the continued reports in the daily newspapers, of the arrival at Home of cargoes of frozen meat in a sa'isfactory condition, and sold at a price— expenses deducted — which would about double the price now obtained for stock in Wanganui. For a corroboration of this, I refer your readers to any of our live stock auctioneers. Now, sir, in the face of this statement I fully expect to be met with the querry by townsmen. — Whence the apathy of the farmers in a matter which more directly concerns them ? This, I think, can be explained in various ways, the chief being shortness of cash, brought about by the serious depreciation in the value of stock, especially cattle, and the continued low price of wool in the Home market." These" and other losses combined have very much dispirited "some of the farmers, so tbat it seems impossible to get them together to discuss the matter. The facilities for discussing any subject of interest are very much in favour of a town ; ' and what I want to impress on the people of Wanganui town, is, that this is a matter they cannot afford to ignore. . Persons living in a town like Wangauui, must have this fact placed before them in nnmistakeable language, that their prosperity, even their very existence, depends solely in the pastoral and agricultural interest. I would ask to what' else are they to lookP In a producing sense, we have no manufactories, no mining industry — we certainly do export a little timber; with this exception I know of nothing else outside the pastoral and agricultural interest. There is no person in the district more qualified to give an opinion on the advantages'to be attained by the export of frozen meat than Mr F. 11. Jackson, and, if the scheme he proposed some time ago had been accomplished, we would have, by the end of the present year, witnessed_-the. pleasant sight of town and country residents mutually congratulating each other on Hie success of an enterprise in which all are deeply concerned. The question of dividend in a matter of this kind should be entirely overlooked, as the capital required would be very small compared with the results. Such a company once established means, at no distant date, the circulation of thousands of pounds in our midst, which, in its absence is now lost to us. Therefore, if the citizens of Wanganui can be convinced that their interests are being jeopardised, by the indifference or inability of the farmers, to start the concern without the. help of their town friends, let a public meeting be called in Wanganui, as the most central spot ; form a committee ; and have a thorough canvass df' town and country made. As an instance in point of what can be accomplished by indomitable perseverance in face of . almost insurmountable difficulties, I refer your readers to the successful freeing of the Wauganui bridge. A ll that is required to make the frozen meat business go ahead is persistent agftatiou, and the money will soon be forthcoming. Let it therefore not be said, to our reproach, that the best grazing district in the whole colony, was the last to avail itself of an enterprise, the benefits ultimately accruing from which, •will sink the palmiest days of our goldfields into insignificance. Trusting I have not encroached too much on your valuable space, — I am &c. Stjbsceibek.

"Whence theso Tears?" — During a matrimonial dispute, the wife of an apothe- \- eary, as a last resort, tried to work on her liusband's. better feelings by bursting into — tears. "What's the use of crying? "said he, " there's nothing to be made out of tears. I have tested them chemically, and iind that they consist of an infinitesimal proportion of phosphate of lime and a little chloride of soda, the rest is insipid, worthless water." The Earliest Daily Newspaper in London. —The harbinger of the London daily press, or the first actual daily newspaper ever published in London, was the Daily Courant, issued [on Wednesday, 11th March, 1702, and a fac-simile of this interesting broadside, printed on one side only, has lately b?en produced.

— During a