OUR FROZEN MUTTON

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3970, 23 November 1891, Page 2

OUR FROZEN MUTTON

Mr Rayner Interviewed.

In an interview with reference to the frozen meat trade, Mr John Kayner, of the Tarntahi, who has just returned from England, says:—"l visited a number of towns of from 15,000 to 25,000 people, and fouDd that frozen meat is sold in a number of butchers' shops. I heard one fellow sing out,' This way for your prime New Zealand mutton!' I went across and examined the meat. • Miserable skinny, lean meat. We would scarcely feed the dogs with this in New Zealand. I'll bet you what you like this is not New Zealand mutton.* The man looked at me for a while and said, 'I suppose you are from New Ze-iknd ?' I said ' Yes.' ' Come inside,' said he. I went in and he showed me some mutton from New Zealand, quite different meat, of course. He said, * We must sell that meat, you know,' pointing to what purported to be from this colony,' to people who don't kuow, and we keep this behind for people who do know.'

Mr Bayner was staying with his sousin who pooh-poohed the idea of eating New Zealand mutton. He smuggled in a joint, unknown to his relative. At the table the cousin said " Now John, what do you think of this ? Your New Zealand mutton can't come up to this." " Very good." The next day they dined off the same joint, and the same remarks were passed, but the secret was mad* known, with the result that the cousins views were changed with regard to New Zealand frozen meat. " I saw," he continued, " some splendid beef hanging in one shop, and asked the butcher where he got it from. 'Oh its frozen meat' said he, «I don't knDW where it came from, but I'll show you the sack.' He showed me the sack on which was written 'Waitara.' 'Oh,' said I, ' that is from the garden of New Zealand, Ttiranaki.' He says, ' I don't care where it came from, bat it's the best bit of meat I ever had in my shop."